SMALL  FRUITS, 


EDWARD    P.  ROE, 


UTHOR  OF  "  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY, 

"OPENING  A  CHESTNUT  BURR." 

"PLAY  AND  PROFIT  IN  MY  GARDEN,"  &c. 


WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS 


NEW    YORK: 
DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY 

1882. 


SB  ss 

R  le 


Copyright,  1881,  by 
DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY. 


THE  BURR  PRINTING  HOUSE, 
New  York. 


GJ  dedicate  twa  afe)ook  to 


Li 

and 
G/zom  wiiow  G)  ^feali  e&teetn  it  a  p^im 

Co  teazn  tn  cowwq  ijea^&  a& 
J    J 

GJ  liave  in  tfoe  pa&t. 


PREFACE. 


A  BOOK  should  be  judged  somewhat  in  vieiv  of  what  it  attempts. 
•**•  One  of  the  chief  objects  of  this  little  volume  is  to  lure  men  and  women 
back  to  their  original  calling,  that  of  gardening.  I  am  decidedly  under 
the  impression  that  Eve  helped  Adam,  especially  as  the  sun  declined.  I  am 
sure  that  they  had  small  fruits  for  breakfast,  dinner  and  supper,  and 
would  not  be  at  all  surprised  if  they  ate  some  between  meals.  Even  we 
poor  mortals  ^vho  have  sinned  more  than  once,  and  must  give  our  minds 
to  the  effort  not  to  appear  unnatural  in  many  hideous  styles  of  dress,  can 
fare  as  well.  The  Adams  and  Eves  of  every  generation  can  have  an 
Eden  if  they  wish.  Indeed,  I  know  of  many  instances  in  which  Eve 
creates  a  beautiful  and  fruitful  garden  without  any  help  from  Adam. 

The  theologians  shozv  that  we  have  inherited  much  evil  from  our  first 
parents,  but,  in  the  general  disposition  to  have  a  garden,  can  we  not  recog- 
nize a  redeeming  ancestral  trait?  I  would  like  to  contribute  my  little 
share  toward  increasing  this  tendency,  believing  that  as  humanity  goes 
back  to  its  first  occupation  it  may  also  acquire  some  of  the  primal 
gardener's  characteristics  before  he  listened  to  temptation  and  ceased  to  be 
even  a  gentleman.  When  he  brutally  blamed  the  woman,  it  was  time  he 
was  turned  out  of  Eden.  All  the  best  things  of  the  garden  suggest  refine- 
ment and  courtesy.  Nature  might  have  contented  herself  with  producing 
seeds  only,  but  she  accompanies  the  prosaic  action  with  fragrant  fiowers 
and  delicious  fruit.  It  would  be  well  to  remember  this  in  the  ordinary 
courtesies  of  life. 

Moreover,  since  the  fruit-garden  and  farm  do  not  develop  in  a  straight- 
forward, matter-of-fact  way,  why  should  I  write  about  them  after  the 
formal  and  terse  fashion  of  a  manual  or  scientific  treatise  ?  The  most 
productive  varieties  of  fruit  blossom  and  have  some  foliage  which  may  not 
be  very  beautiful  any  more  than  the  departures  from  -practical  prose  in  this 
book  are  interesting;  but,  as  a  leafless  plant  or  bush,  laden  with  fruit,  ivould 


8  Preface. 

appear  gaunt  and  naked,  so,  to  the  writer,  a  book  about  them  without  any 
attempt  at  foliage  and  flowers  would  seem  unnatural.  The  modern 
chronicler  has  transformed  history  into  a  fascinating  story.  Even  science 
is  now  taught  through  the  charms  of  fiction.  Shall  this  department  of 
knowledge,  so  generally  useful,  be  left  only  to  technical  prose?  Why 
should  we  not  have  a  class  of  books  as  practical  as  the  gardens,  fields,  and 
crops,  concerning  which  they  are  written,  and  at  the  same  time  having 
-much  of  the  light,  shade,  color  and  life  of  the  out-of-door  world.  I  merely 
claim  that  I  have  made  an  attempt  in  the  right  direction,  but,  like  an 
unskillful  artist,  may  have  so  confused  my  lights,  shades,  and  mixed  my 
colors  so  badly  that  my  pictures  resemble  a  strawberry -bed  in  which  the 
weeds  have  the  better  of  the  fruit. 

Liberal  outlines  of  this  work,  with  its  illustrations,  appeared  in  Scrib- 
ner's  Magazine,  but  the  larger  scope  afforded  by  the  book  has  enabled  me  to 
treat  many  subjects  for  which  there  was  no  space  in  the  magazine,  and 
also  to  give  my  views  more  fully  concerning  topics  only  touched  upon  in  the 
serial.  As  the  fruits  described  are  being  improved,  so  in  the  future  other 
and  more  skillful  horticulturists  will  develop  the  literature  relating  to  them 
into  its  true  proportions. 

I  am  well  aware  that  the  superb  illustrations  give  to  this  volume,  in 
the  estimation  of  many,  its  chief  value,  and  for  them  I  am  indebted  to 
the  liberal  views  of  Messrs.  Scribner  &  Company,  and  to  Messrs.  Dodd, 
Mead  &  Company,  my  publishers. 

The  task  of  gathering  my  material  was  a  labor  of  love,  often  made 
doubly  delightful  by  the  companionship  of  the  gentleman  having  charge  of 
the  art  department  of  Scribner 's  Magazine,  Mr.  A.  W.  Drake,  and  to  his 
good  taste  the  reader  is  largely  indebted  for  the  beauty  of  the  engravings. 

I  shall,  moreover,  always  cherish  a  grateful  memory  of  the  aid  received 
from  my  brother,  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Roe,  and  from  Mr.  W.  H.  Gibson,  whose 
intimate  knowledge  of  nature  enabled  him  to  give  so  correctly  the  character- 
istics of  the  fruits  he  portrayed. 

I  am  greatly  indebted  to  the  instruction  received  at  various  times  from 
those  venerable  fathers  and  authorities  on  all  questions  relating  to  Eden -like 
pursuits — Mr.  Chas.  Downing  of  Newburgh,  and  Hon.  Marshall  P. 
Wilder  of  Boston,  Mr.  J.  J.  Thomas,  Dr.  Geo.  Thurber ;  to  such  valuable 
works  as  those  of  A.  S.  Fuller,  A.  J.  Downing,  P.  Barry,  J.  M.  Merrick^ 
Jr.,  and  some  English  authors ;  to  the  live  horticultural  journals  in  the 
East,  West  and  South,  and,  last  but  not  least,  to  many  plain,  practical 
fruit-growers,  who  are  as  well  informed  and  sensible  as  they  are  modest 
in  expressing  their  opinions. 

Com  it  >all-  on-  the-  Hudson , 

New  -  York. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter.  Page. 

I.  PRELIMINARY  PARLEY      .      .      .    .  .      .      ,      ,      ....  13 

II.  THE  FRUIT  GARDEN           .      ...*..      .      .      ,      ;      .      .    ».  18 

III.  SMALL  FRUIT  FARMING  AND  ITS  PROFITS       ......  26 

IV.  STRAWBERRIES — THE  FIVE  SPECIES  AND  THEIR  HISTORY    ...  33 

V.  IDEAL  STRAWBERRIES  VERSUS  THOSE  OF  THE  FIELD  AND  MARKET  44 

VI.  CHOICE  OF  SOIL  AND  LOCATION     .      .      .      .      .       .      .      *      .  48 

VII.  PREPARING  AND  ENRICHING  THE  SOIL      .       .      .       .       .      .      .  51 

Till.  PREPARATION  OF  SOIL  BY  DRAINAGE     .       .       .      .     \      .      .      .  60 

IX.  THE  PREPARATION  OF  SOILS   COMPARATIVELY  UNFAVORABLE       .  71 

X.  COMMERCIAL  AND  SPECIAL  FERTILIZERS      .       .       ....       .  77 

XI.  OBTAINING  PLANTS  AND  IMPROVING  OUR  STOCK   .       .       .      .      .  84 

XII.  WHEN  SHALL  WE  PLANT?        ^      .      ,      .       .       .      .      .     ...       .  88 

XIII.  WHAT  SHALL  WE  PLANT  ?.....       %      ....  93 

XIV.  SETTING  OUT  PLANTS     .... 105 

XV.  CULTIVATION        .      .      .       ..'..'.-•      .      .      .      .       .       .       .  109 

XVI.  A  SOUTHERN  STRAWBERRY  FARM,  AND  METHODS  OF  CULTURE        .  121 

XVII.  FORCING  STRAWBERRIES  UNDER  GLASS    -.       .      .      .       *       .       .  146 

XVTII.  ORIGINATING  NEW  VARIETIES  —  HYBRIDIZATION 150 

XIX.  RASPBERRIES — SPECIES,  HISTORY,  PROPAGATION,  ETC.      .       .       .  158 

XX.  RASPBERRIES — PRUNING — STAKING — MULCHING — PROTECTION,  ETC.  167 

XXL  RASPBERRIES — VARIETIES  OF  THE  FOREIGN  AND  NATIVE  SPECIES   .  173 

XXII.  RUBUS  OCCIDENTALS — BLACK-CAP  AND  PURPLE  CANE  RASPBERRIES  186 

XXIII.  THE  RASPBERRIES  OF  THE  FUTURE 191 

XXIV.  BLACKBERRIES — VARIETIES,  CULTIVATION,  ETC 199 

XXV.  CURRANTS — CHOICE  OF  SOIL,  CULTIVATION,  PRUNING,  ETC.      .       .  209 

XXVI.  CURRANTS,  CONTINUED — PROPAGATION,  VARIETIES     .       .       .       .  217 

XXVII.  GOOSEBERRIES 226 

XXVIII.  DISEASES  AND  INSECT  ENEMIES  OF  SMALL  FRUITS     ....  232 

XXIX.  PICKING  AND  MARKETING 247 

XXX.  IRRIGATION 255 

XXXI.  SUGGESTIVE  EXPERIENCES  FROM  WIDELY  SEPARATED  LOCALITIES     .  261 

XXXII.  A  FEW  RULES  AND  MAXIMS 272 

XXXIII.  VARIETIES  OF  STRAWBERRIES 279 

XXXIV.  VARIETIES  OF  OTHER  SMALL  FRUITS 300 

XXXV.  CLOSING  WORDS 304 

2 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Title. 

"  YE  BOYS  THAT  GATHER,"  ETC 

THE  HOME  SHE  MIGHT  HAVE  HAD 

SEEDS  AND  PULP,  ETC 

THE  ALPINE  STRAWBERRY 

HAUTBOIS  OR  HAARBEER  STRAWBERRY.  . . 

INDIAN  STRAWBERRY 

COMMON  WILD  STRAWBERRY 

FRAGARIA  CHILENSIS 

NEW  YORK  FLOWER  AND  FRUIT  MISSION 

STRAWBERRY  OF  MEMORY 

SCENE  OF  OPERATIONS 

THE  CHAMPION  GRUBBER 

MAP  SHOWING  EXPERIMENTS 

JUCUNDA  STRAWBERRY 

TOOLS  FOR  STRAWBERRY  FARM 

COUNTING  AND  MAILING  PLANTS 

POTTING  RUNNERS 

A  POTTED  PLANT  

STRAWBERRY  BLOSSOMS  

SHARPLESS  AND  WILD  STRAWBERRIES 

CRESCENT  SEEDLING 

A  CLUSTER  OF  PIONEER  STRAWBERRIES.  . 

KENTUCKY   SEEDLING,  ETC 

WATERING  PLANTS 

WRONG  METHODS,  ETC.,  A 


A  rtist.  Engraver. 

Robt.   Blum J.  F.  Jungling. 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Foote Photo- Eng.  Co. 

IV.  H.  Gibson " 

"       W.J.Wilson. 

«       W.J.Dana. 


"       E.  Clement. 

"       W.J.Wilson. 

Miss  Jessie  Curtis G.  Kruell. 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Foote Miss  C.  A.  Powell. 

W.  H.   Gibson Robt.  Varley. 

A.  Kappes Fred  Juengling. 

Chas.  Caldwell R.  D.  Servoss. 

R.  Riordan F.  S.  King. 

H.  W.  Troy Photo-Eng.  Co. 

A.  Kappes James  Tynan. 

W.  H.  Gibson.  .  .  .S.  S.  Kilburn. 


Felix  Le  Blanc. 
.  E.  H.  Windham. 
.  Felix  Le  Blanc. 

H.  E.  Schultz. 

E.  A.  Winham. 

F.  S.  King. 
Photo-Eng.  Co. 


c 

D "          "      .. 

PROPER  METHOD,      "       E "          " 

ROOT  PRUNING "          " 

BOY  WEEDING "         " 

EARLY  SPRING  WORK Alfred  Kappes .  . 

A  DUCHESS  Row  AND  BERRY W.  H.  Gibson .  . 

MATTED  BED  SYSTEM  .  "          " 


.  A.  J.  Whitney. 
.Fred  Juengling. 
.H.  E.  Schultz. 
Photo-Eng.  Co. 


1 2  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Title.  A  rtist.  Engraver. 

NARROW  Row  AND  HILL  SYSTEMS W.  H.  Gibson Photo- Eng.  Co. 

THE  FOREST  ROSE,  ETC "          "      E.  A.  Winham. 

MR.  YOUNG'S  COTTAGE W.  L.  Sheppard W.  J.  Dana. 

THE  FIRST  GLIMPSE "  "        J.  F.  Jungling. 

"  A  LITTLE  BRIEF  AUTHORITY" "  "        E.  Heinemann. 

NONDESCRIPT  EDIBLES "  "        G.  Kruell. 

"  GIT  UP,  DAR,"  ETC '. . .       "  "        Photo-Eng.  Co.. 

PEOPLE  WHO  TAKE  NO  THOUGHT "  "        James  Tynan. 

EXCHANGING  AND  COUNTING  TICKETS.  ...      "  "        A.  J.  Whitney. 

PAYING  OFF   HANDS "  "        W.  R.  Bodenstalx 

MAKING  CRATES,  ETC "  "        J.  H.  E.  Whitney.. 

A  PICKER "  "        David  Nichols. 

RUSHING  THE  LAST  LOT "  "        S.  S.  Kilburn. 

NATURE'S  ROUGE Miss  Jessie  Curtis "          " 

FRANCONIA  AND  BELLE  DE  FONTENAY,  ETC.  W.  H.  Gibson H.  E.  Schultz. 

SPRING  AND  FALL  PLANTS "          "      Amer.  Photo-Eng.  Cov 

WINTER  PROTECTION,  ETC "          "      "          "          "       " 

TYING  CANES "          "      " 

STORAGE  GROUND A.  Kappes W.  R.  Bodenstab. 

LAYING  DOWN  CANES W,  H.  Gibson Amer.  Photo-Eng.  Co.. 

ANTWERP  CLASS  OF  RASPBERRIES R.  Riordan Miss  C.  A.  Powell. 

RUSH  FOR  THE  NIGHT  BOAT W.  Taber J.  H.  E.  Whitney. 

APPROACH  OF  THE  NIGHT  BOAT "       "     Thos.  Hellawell. 

NATIVE   RASPBERRIES R.  Riordan S.  S.  Kilburn. 

RUBUS  OCCIDENTALS W.  H.   Gibson Photo-Eng.  Co. 

HERSTINE  RASPBERRY,  ETC "          "      A.  J.  Whitney. 

GATHERING  A  DAINTY  DISH Miss  Jessie  Curtis W.  R.  Bodenstab. 

GATHERING  WILD  BLACKBERRIES Winslmv  Homer James  Tynan. 

KITTATINNY  BLACKBERRY W.  H.   Gibson., E.  C.  Held. 

CUTHBERT   RASPBERRY "          "      J.  H.  E.  Whitney. 

EARLY  WILSON  BLACKBERRY R.  Riordan E.  Kingsley. 

SNYDER   BLACKBERRY W.  H.  Gibson H.  Gray. 

WHITE  GRAPE  CURRANTS "          "      H.  E.  Schultz. 

IN  THE  CURRANT  FIELD Miss  Jessie  Curtis J.  Hellawell. 

WEIGHING  CURRANTS "        "        "      W.  R.  Bodenstab. 

LATE  EMERALD  GOOSEBERRY R.  Riordan H.  Schultz. 

THE  JELLY  WONT  JELL Mary  Hallock  Foote John  P.  Davis. 

CURRANTS  IN  TREE  FORM Miss  Jessie  Curtis A.  J.  Whitney. 

CURRANT  CUTTINGS,  ETC .^  .  W. '.  H.  Gibson Amer.  Photo-Eng.  Co,. 

THE  IDEAL  VERSAILLES  CLUSTER "          "      "          "         «       « 

THE  STRAWBERRY'S  CHIEF  FOE "          "      

CHERRY  CURRANTS "          "      S.  S.  Kilburn. 

HOUGHTON  SEEDLING "          "      Amer.  Photo-Eng.  Co. 

DOWNING  GOOSEBERRY R.  Riordan H.  Schultz. 

TAKING  THE  CRATES,  ETC W.  H.  Gibson Geo.  Smith. 

QUARTERS  FOR  PICKERS W.  Taber T.  D.  Sugden. 

THE  DELIBERATE  WORKMAN "        "    . .  • Jno.  W.  Evans. 

PICKING  RASPBERRIES,  ETC "        "    "      «       « 

MARLBORO'  THIRDS W.  H.  Gibson Amer.  Photo-Eng.  Co. 

SUNNYSIDE  FRUIT-BOX "          «      «  «         «      « 

A   HAP-HAZARD   HOE A.  B.  Frost Photo-Eng.  Co. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PRELIMINARY  PARLEY. 


IN  the  ages  that  were  somewhat  shadowed,  to  say  the  least,  when  Nature 
indulged  her  own  wild  moods  in  man,  and  the  world  he  trampled  on 
rather  than  cultivated,  there  was  a  class  who  in  their  dreams  and  futile 
efforts  became  the  unconscious  prophets  of  our  own  time — the  Alchemists. 
For  centuries  they  believed  they  could  transmute  base  metals  into  gold  and 
silver.  Modern  knowledge  enables  us  to  work  changes  more  beneficial 
than  the  alchemist  ever  dreamed  of,  and  it  shall  be  my  aim  to  make  one  of 
these  secrets  as  open  as  the  sunlight  in  the  fields  and  gardens  wherein  the 
beautiful  mutations  occur.  To  turn  iron  into  gold  would  be  a  prosaic, 
barren  process  that  might  result  in  trouble  to  all  concerned,  but  to  trans- 
form heavy  black  earth  and  insipid  rain-water  into  edible  rubies  with 
celestial  perfume  and  ambrosial  flavor,  is  indeed  an  art  that  appeals  to  the 
entire  race,  and  enlists  that  imperious  nether  organ  which  has  never  lost 
its  power  over  heart  or  brain.  As  long,  therefore,  as  humanity's  mouth 
waters  at  the  thought  of  morsels  more  delicious  even  than  "  Sin  under  the 
tongue,"  I  am  sure  of  an  audience  when  I  discourse  of  strawberries  and 
their  kindred  fruits.  If  apples  led  to  the  loss  of  Paradise,  the  reader  will 
find  described  hereafter  a  list  of  fruits  that  will  enable  him  to  reconstruct 
a  bit  of  Eden,  even  if  the  "  Fall  and  all  our  woe"  have  left  him  possessed 
of  merely  a  city  yard.  But  land  in  the  country,  breezy  hill-sides,  moist, 
sheltered  valleys,  sunny  plains — what  opportunities  for  the  divinest  form 
of  alchemy  are  here  afforded  to  hundreds  of  thousands ! 

13 


14  ^Success  *&ith  Small  Fruits. 

.•:.•'•.•.-• 
Many  think    of  the  soil    only  in    connection  with  the   sad  words  of 

the  burial  service — "Earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes."  Let  us,  while  we 
may,  gain  more  cheerful  associations  with  our  kindred  dust.  For  a  time  it 
can  be  earth  to  strawberry  blossoms,  ashes  to  bright  red  berries,  and  their 
color  will  get  into  our  cheeks  and  their  rich  subacid  juices  into  our  insipid 
lives,  constituting  a  mental,  moral  and  physical  alterative  that  will  so 
change  us  that  we  shall  believe  in  evolution  and  imagine  ourselves  fit  for 
a  higher  state  of  existence.  One  may  delve  in  the  earth  so  long  as  to  lose 
all  dread  at  the  thought  of  sleeping  in  it  at  last,  and  the  luscious  fruits  and 
bright-hued  flowers  that  come  out  of  it,  in  a  way  no  one  can  find  out,  may 
teach  our  own  resurrection  more  effectually  than  do  the  learned  theologians. 

We  naturally  feel  that  some  good  saints  in  the  flesh,  even  though  they 
are  "  pillars  of  the  church,"  need  more  than  a  "  sea-change  "  before  they 
can  become  proper  citizens  of  "  Jerusalem  the  Golden,"  but  having  com- 
pared a  raspberry  bush,  bending  gracefully  under  its  delicious  burden,  with 
the  insignificant  seed  from  which  it  grew,  we  are  ready  to  .believe  in  all 
possibilities  of  good.  Thus  we  may  gather  more  than  berries  from  our 
fruit-gardens.  Nature  hangs  thoughts  and  suggestions  on  every  spray,  and 
blackberry  bushes  give  many  an  impressive  scratch  to  teach  us  that  good 
and  evil  are  very  near  together  in  this  world,  and  that  we  must  be  careful 
while  seeking  the  one,  to  avoid  the  other.  In  every  field  of  life  those  who 
seek  the  fruit  too  rashly  are  almost  sure  to  have  a  thorny  experience, 
and  to  learn  that  prickings  are  provided  for  those  who  have  no  consciences. 

He  who  sees  in  the  world  around  him  only  what  strikes  the  eye  lives  in 
a  poor,  half-furnished  house  ;  he  who  obtains  from  his  garden  only  what  he 
can  eat  gathers  but  a  meager  crop.  If  I  find  something  besides  berries  on 
my  vines,  I  shall  pick  it  if  so  inclined.  The  scientific  treatise,  or  precise 
manual,  may  break  up  the  well-rooted  friendship  of  plants,  and  compel 
them  to  take  leave  of  each  other,  after  the  arbitrary  fashion  of  methodical 
minds,  but  I  must  talk  about  them  very  much  as  nature  has  taught  me, 
since,  in  respect  to  out-of-door  life,  my  education  was  acquired  almost 
wholly  in  the  old-fashioned  way  at  the  venerable  "dame's  school." 
Nay  more,  I  claim  that  I  have  warrant  to  gather  from  my  horticultural 
texts  more  than  can  be  sent  to  the  dining-table  or  commission  merchant. 
Such  a  matter-of-fact  plant  as  the  currant  makes  some  attempt  to  embroider 
its  humble  life  with  ornament,  and  in  April  the  bees  will  prove  to  you  that 
honey  may  be  gathered  even  from  a  gooseberry  bush.  Indeed,  goose- 
berries are  like  some  ladies  that  we  all  know.  In  their  young  and  blos- 
soming days  they  are  sweet  and  pink-hued,  and  then  they  grow  acid,  pale, 
and  hard,  but  in  the  ripening  experience  of  later  life  they  become  sweet 


Preliminary  Parley.  15 

again  and  tender.  Before  they  drop  from  their  places  the  bees  come  back 
for  honey,  and  find  it. 

In  brief,  I  propose  to  take  the  reader  on  quite  an  extended  ramble 
among  the  small  fruits.  It  is  much  the  same  as  if  I  said,  "  Let  us  go  a 
strawberry  ing  together,"  and  we  talked  as  we  went  over  hill  and  through 
dale  in  a  style  somewhat  in  harmony  with  our  wanderings.  Very  many, 
no  doubt,  will  glance  at  these  introductory  words,  and  decline  to  go  with 
me,  correctly  feeling  that  they  can  find  better  company.  Other  busy, 
practical  souls  will  prefer  a  more  compact,  straightforward  treatise  that  is 
like  a  lesson  in  a  class-room  rather  than  a  stroll  in  the  fields,  or  a  tour 
among  the  fruit  farms,  and  while  sorry  to  lose  their  company,  I  have  no 
occasion  to  find  fault. 

I  assure  those,  however,  who,  after  this  preliminary  parley,  decide  to 
go  further,  that  I  will  do  my  best  to  make  our  excursion  pleasant,  and  to 
cause  as  little  weariness  as  is  possible,  if  we  are  to  return  with  full  baskets. 
I  shall  not  follow  the  example  of  some  thrifty  people  who  invite  one  to  go 
"  a-berrying,"  but  lead  away  from  fruitful  nooks,  proposing  to  visit  them 
alone  by  stealth.  All  the  secrets  I  know  shall  become  open  ones.  I  shall 
conduct  the  reader  to  all  the  "  good  places,"  and  name  the  good  things  I 
have  discovered  in  half  a  lifetime  of  research.  I  would,  therefore,  mod- 
estly hint  to  the  practical  reader — to  whom  "time  is  money,"  who  has  an 
eye  to  the  fruit  only,  and  with  whom  the  question  of  outlay  and  return  is 
ever  uppermost — that  he  may,  after  all,  find  it  to  his  advantage  to  go  with 
us.  While  we  stop  to  gather  a  flower,  listen  to  a  brook  or  bird,  or  go  out 
of  our  way  occasionally  to  get  a  view,  he  can  jog  on,  meeting  us  at  every 
point  where  we  "  mean  business."  These  points  shall  occur  so  often  that 
he  will  not  lose  as  much  time  as  he  imagines,  and  I  think  he  will  find  my 
business  talks  business  like — quite  as  practical  as  he  desires. 

To  come  down  to  the  plainest  of  plain  prose,  I  am  not  a  theorist  on 
these  subjects,  nor  do  I  dabble  in  small  fruits  as  a  rich  and  fanciful  amateur, 
to  whom  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  his  strawberries  cost  five 
cents  or  a  dollar  a  quart.  As  a  farmer,  milk  must  be  less  expensive  than 
champagne.  I  could  not  afford  a  fruit  farm  at  all  if  it  did  not  more  than 
pay  its  way,  and  in  order  to  win  the  confidence  of  the  "  solid  men,"  who 
want  no  "  gush  "  or  side  sentiment,  even  though  nature  suggests  some 
warrant  for  it,  I  will  give  a  bit  of  personal  experience.  Five  years  since,  I 
bought  a  farm  of  twenty-three  acres  that  for  several  years  had  been  rented, 
depleted,  and  suffered  to  run  wild.  Thickets  of  brush-wood  extended  from 
the  fences  well  into  the  fields,  and  in  a  notable  instance  across  the  entire  place. 
One  portion  was  so  stony  that  it  could  not  be  plowed  ;  another  so  wet  and 


1 6  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

sour  that  even  grass  would  not  grow  upon  it ;  a  third  portion  was  not  only 
swampy,  but  liable  to  be  overwhelmed  with  stones  and  gravel  twice  a  year 
by  the  sudden  rising  of  a  mountain  stream.  There  was  no  fruit  on  the 
place  except  apples  and  a  very  few  pears  and  grapes.  Nearly  all  of  the 
land,  as  I  found  it,  was  too  impoverished  to  produce  a  decent  crop  of 
strawberries.  The  location  of  the  place,  moreover,  made  it  very  expen- 
sive—  it  cost  $19,000  —  and  yet  during  the  third  year  of  occupancy  the 
income  from  this  place  approached  very  nearly  to  the  outlay,  and  in  1878, 
during  which  my  most  expensive  improvements  were  made,  in  the  way  of 
draining,  taking  out  stones,  etc.,  the  income  paid  for  these  improvements, 
for  current  expenses,  and  gave  a  surplus  of  over  $i, 800.  In  1879,  the 
net  income  was  considerably  larger.  In  order  that  these  statements  may 
not  mislead  any  one,  I  will  add  that  in  my  judgment  only  the  combined 
business  of  plants  and  fruit  would  warrant  such  expenses  as  I  have  incur- 
red. My  farm  is  almost  in  the  midst  of  a  village,  and  the  buildings  upon  it 
greatly  increased  its  cost.  Those  who  propose  to  raise  and  sell  fruit  only 
should  not  burden  themselves  with  high-priced  land.  Farms,  even  on  the 
Hudson,  can  be  bought  at  quite  moderate  prices  at  a  mile  or  more  away 
from  centers,  and  yet  within  easy  reach  of  landings  and  railroad  depots. 

Mr.  Charles  Downing,  whose  opinions  on  all  horticultural  questions 
are  so  justly  valued,  remarked  to  me  that  no  other  fruit  was  so  affected  by 
varying  soils  and  climates  as  the  strawberry.  I  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  soil,  locality  and  climate  make  such  vast  differences  that  unless 
these  variations  are  carefully  studied  and  indicated,  books  will  mislead 
more  people  than  they  help.  A  man  may  write  a  treatise  admirably 
adapted  to  his  own  farm ;  but  if  one,  living  a  thousand,  a  hundred,  or 
even  one  mile  away,  followed  the  same  method,  he  might  almost  utterly 
fail.  While  certain  general  and  foundation  principles  apply  to  the  culti- 
vation of  each  genus  of  fruit,  important  modifications  and,  in  some 
instances,  almost  radical  changes  of  method  must  be  made  in  view  of  the 
varied  conditions  in  which  it  is  grown. 

It  is  even  more  important  to  know  what  varieties  are  best  adapted  to 
different  localities  and  soils.  While  no  experienced  and  candid  authority 
will  speak  confidently  and  precisely  on  this  point,  much  very  useful  infor- 
mation and  suggestion  may  be  given  by  one  who,  instead  of  theorizing, 
observes,  questions  and  records  facts  as  they  are.  The  most  profitable 
strawberry  of  the  far  South  will  produce  scarcely  any  fruit  in  the  North, 
although  the  plant  grows  well,  and  some  of  our  best  raspberries  cannot 
even  exist  in  a  hot  climate  or  upon  very  light  soils.  In  the  preparation  of 
this  book  it  has  been  my  aim  to  study  these  conditions,  that  I  might  give 


Preliminary  Parley.  \  7 

advice  useful  in  Florida  and  Canada,  New  York  and  California,  as  well  as 
at  Cornwall.  I  have  maintained  an  extensive  correspondence  with  practical 
fruit  growers  in  all  sections,  and  have  read  with  care  contributions  to  the 
horticultural  press  from  widely  separated  localities.  Not  content  with  this, 
I  have  visited  in  person  the  great  fruit-growing  centers  of  New  Jersey, 
Norfork  and  Richmond,  Va. ;  Charleston,  S.  C.  ;  Augusta  and  Savannah, 
Ga.,  and  several  points  in  Florida.  Thus,  from  actual  observation  and 
full,  free  conversation,  I  have  familiarized  myself  with  both  the  Northern 
and  Southern  aspects  of  this  industry,  while  my  correspondence  from  the 
far  West,  South-west  and  California  will,  I  hope,  enable  me  to  aid  the 
novice  in  those  regions  also. 

I  know  in  advance  that  my  book  will  contain  many  and  varied  faults, 
but  I  intend  that  it  shall  be  an  expression  of  honest  opinion.  I  do  not 
like  "foxy  grapes"  nor  foxy  words  about  them. 


• 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 
Raison  d'etre. 

OMALL  fruits,  to  people  who  live  in  the  country,  are  like  heaven, — 
O  objects  of  universal  desire  and  very  general  neglect  Indeed,  in  a 
land  so  peculiarly  adapted  to  their  cultivation,  it  is  difficult  to  account 
for  this  neglect  if  you  admit  the  premise  that  Americans  are  civilized  and 
intellectual.  It  is  the  trait  of  a  savage  and  inferior  race  to  devour  with 
immense  gusto  a  delicious  morsel,  and  then  trust  to  luck  for  another. 
People  who  would  turn  away  from  a  dish  of  "  Monarch "  strawberries, 
with  their  plump  pink  cheeks  powdered  with  sugar,  or  from  a  plate  of 
melting  raspberries  and  cream,  would  be  regarded  as  so  eccentric  as  to 
suggest  an  asylum  ;  but  the  number  of  professedly  intelligent  and  moral 
folk  who  ignore  the  simple  means  of  enjoying  the  ambrosial  viands  daily, 
for  weeks  together,  is  so  large  as  to  shake  one's  confidence  in  human 
nature.  A  welUmaintained  fruit  garden  is  a  comparatively  rare  adjunct 
of  even  stylish  and  pretentious  homes.  In  June,  of  all  months,  in  sultry 
July  and  August,  there  arises  from  innumerable  country  breakfast  tables 
the  pungent  odor  of  a  meat  into  which  the  devils  went,  but  out  of  which 
there  is  no  proof  they  ever  came.  From  the  garden  under  the  windows 
might  have  been  gathered  fruits  whose  aroma  would  have  tempted  spirits 
of  the  air.  The  cabbage-patch  may  be  seen  afar,  but  too  often  the 
strawberry-bed,  even  if  it  exists,  is  hidden  by  weeds,  and  the  later  small 
fruits  struggle  for  bare  life  in  some  neglected  corner.  Indeed,  an 
excursion  into  certain  parts  of  New  England  might  suggest  that 

18 


Increase  of  Flower  and  Fruit  Culture.  19 

•^% 

many  of  its  thrifty  citizens  would  not  have  been  content  in  Eden 
until  they  had  put  its  best  land  into  onions  and  tobacco.  Through  the 
superb  scenery  of  Vermont  there  flows  a  river  whose  name,  one  might 
think,  would  secure  an  unfailing  tide  from  the  eyes  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  Alpine  strawberry  grows  wild  in  all  that  region,  but  the  Puritan 
smacked  his  lips  over  another  gift  of  nature  and  named  the  romantic 
stream  in  its  honor.  To  account  for  certain  tastes  or  tendencies,  mankind 
must  certainly  have  fallen  a  little  way,  or,  if  Mr.  Darwin's  view  is  correct, 
and  we  are  on  a  slight  up-grade,  a  dreadful  hitch  and  tendency  to  backslide 
has  been  apparent  at  a  certain  point  ever  since  the  Hebrews  sighed  for 
the  "leeks  and  onions  of  Egypt." 

Of  course,  there  is  little  hope  for  the  rural  soul  that  "loathes"  the 
light  manna  of  small  fruits.  We  must  leave  it  to  evolution  for  another 
cycle  or  two.  But,  as  already  indicated,  we  believe  that  humanity  in  the 
main  has  reached  a  point  where  its  internal  organs  highly  approve  of  the 
delicious  group  of  fruits  that  strayed  out  of  Paradise,  and  have  not  yet 
lost  themselves  among  the  "thorns  and  thistles."  Indeed,  modern  skill  — 
the  alchemy  of  our  age  —  has  wrought  such  wonders  that  Eden  is  possible 
again  to  all  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  form  Eden-like  tastes  and 
capacities. 

The  number  who  are  doing  this  is  increasing  every  year.  The  large 
demand  for  literature  relating  to  out-of-door  life,  horticultural  journals, 
like  the  fruits  of  which  they  treat,  flourishing  in  regions  new  and  remote, 
are  proof  of  this.  The  business  of  supplying  fruit-trees,  plants,  and  even 
flowers,  is  becoming  a  vast  industry.  I  have  been  informed  that  one 
enterprising  firm  annually  spends  thousands  in  advertising  roses  only. 

But,  while  we  welcome  the  evidences  that  so  many  are  ceasing  to  be 
bucolic  heathen,  much  observation  has  shown  that  the  need  of  further 
enlightenment  is  large  indeed.  It  is  depressing  to  think  of  the  number  oi 
homes  about  which  fruits  are  conspicuous  only  by  their  absence  —  homes 
of  every  class,  from  the  laborer's  cottage  and  pioneer's  cabin  to  the 
suburban  palace.  Living  without  books  and  pictures  is  only  a  little 
worse  than  living  in  the  country  without  fruits  and  flowers.  We  must 
respect  to  some  extent  the  old  ascetics,  who,  in  obedience  to  mistaken 
ideas  of  duty,  deprived  themselves  of  the  good  things  God  provided,  even 
while  we  recognize  the  stupidity  of  such  a  course.  Little  children  are 
rarely  so  lacking  in  sense  as  to  try  to  please  their  father  by  contempt- 
uously turning  away  from  his  best  gifts,  or  by  treating  them  with 
indifference.  Why  do  millions  live  in  the  country,  year  after  year,  raising 
weeds  and  brambles,  or  a  few  coarse  vegetables,  when  the  choicest  fruits 


2O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

would  grow  almost  as  readily  ?     They  can  plead  no  perverted  sense  of 
duty. 

It  is  a  question  hard  to  answer.  Some,  perhaps,  have  the  delusion  that 
fine  small  fruits  are  as  difficult  to  raise  as  orchids.  They  class  them  with 
hot-house  grapes.  Others  think  they  need  so  little  attention  that  they  can 
stick  a  few  plants  in  hard,  poor  ground  and  leave  them  to  their  fate.  One 
might  as  well  try  to  raise  canary-birds  and  kittens  together  as  strawberries 
and  weeds.  There  is  a  large  class  who  believe  in  small  fruits,  and  know 
their  value.  They  enjoy  them  amazingly  at  a  friend's  table,  and  even  buy 
some  when  they  are  cheap.  A  little  greater  outlay  and  a  little  intelligent 
effort  would  give  them  an  abundant  supply  from  their  own  grounds.  In  a 
vague  way  they  are  aware  of  this,  and  reproach  themselves  for  their  negli- 
gence, but  time  passes  and  there  is  no  change  for  the  better.  Why  ?  I 
don't  know.  There  are  men  who  rarely  kiss  their  wives  and  children.  For 
them  the  birds  sing  unheeded  and  even  unheard  ;  flowers  become  mere 
objects,  and  sunsets  suggest  only  "quitting  time."  In  theory  they  believe 
in  all  these  things.  What  can  be  said  of  them  save  that  they  simply  jog 
on  to-day  as  they  did  yesterday,  ever  dimly  hoping  at  some  time  or  other 
"  to  live  up  to  their  privileges."  But  they  usually  go  on  from  bad  to  worse, 
until,  like  their  neglected  strawberry-beds,  they  are  "  turned  under." 

In  cities  not  a  hundred  miles  from  my  farm  there  are  abodes  of  wealth 
with  spacious  grounds,  where,  in  many  instances,  scarcely  any  place  is 
found  for  small  fruits.  "  It  is  cheaper  and  easier  to  buy  them,"  it  is  said. 
This  is  a  sorry  proof  of  civilization.  There  is  no  economy  in  the  barbaric 
splendor  of  brass  buttons  and  livery,  but  merely  a  little  trouble  (I  doubt  about 
money)  is  saved  on  the  choicest  luxuries  of  the  year.  The  idea  of  going 
out  of  their  rural  paradises  to  buy  half-stale  fruit!  But  this  class  is  largely 
at  the  mercy  of  the  "  hired  man,"  or  his  more  disagreeable  development, 
the  pretentious  smatterer,  who,  so  far  from  possessing  the  knowledge  that 
the  English,  Scotch  or  German  gardeners  acquire  in  their  long  thorough 
training,  is  a  compound  of  ignorance  and  prejudice.  To  hide  his  barrenness 
of  mind  he  gives  his  soul  to  rare  plants,  clipped  lawns,  but  stints  the  family 
in  all  things  save  his  impudence.  If  he  tells  his  obsequious  employers  that 
it  is  easier  and  cheaper  to  buy  their  fruit  than  to  raise  it,  of  course  there  is 
naught  to  do  but  go  to  the  market  and  pick  up  what  they  can  ;  and  yet 
Dr.  Thurber  says,  with  a  vast  deal  of  force,  that  "  the  unfortunate  people 
who  buy  their  fruit  do  not  know  what  a  strawberry  is." 

In  all  truth  and  soberness,  it  is  a  marvel  and  a  shame  that  so  many  sane 
people  who  profess  to  have  passed  beyond  the  habits  of  the  wilderness  will 
not  give  the  attention  required  by  these  unexacting  fruits.  The  man  who 


The  Fruit  Garden.  21 

has  learned  to  write  his  name  can  learn  to  raise  them  successfully.  The 
ladies  who  know  how  to  keep  their  homes  neat  through  the  labors  of  their 
"  intelligent  help,"  could  also  learn  to  manage  a  fruit  garden  even  though 
employing  the  stupidest  oaf  that  ever  blundered  through  life.  The 
method  is  this :  First  learn  how  yourself,  and  then  let  your  laborer  thor- 
oughly understand  that  he  gets  no  wages  unless  he  does  as  he  is  told.  In 
the  complicated  details  of  a  plant  farm  there  is  much  that  needs  constant 
supervision,  but  the  work  of  an  ordinary  fruit  garden  is,  in  the  main, 
straightforward  and  simple.  The  expenditure  of  a  little  time,  money,  and, 
above  all  things,  of  seasonable  labor,  is  so  abundantly  repaid  that  one 
would  think  that  bare  self-interest  would  solve  invariably  the  simple  prob- 
lem of  supply. 

As  mere  articles  of  food,  these  fruits  are  exceedingly  valuable.  They 
are  capable  of  sustaining  severe  and  continued  labor.  For  months 
together  we  might  become  almost  independent  of  butcher  and  doctor  if  we 
made  our  places  produce  all  that  nature  permits.  Purple  grapes  will  hide 
unsightly  buildings ;  currants,  raspberries  and  blackberries  will  grow  along 
the  fences  and  in  the  corners  that  are  left  to  burdocks  and  brambles.  I 
have  known  invalids  to  improve  from  the  first  day  that  berries  were  brought 
to  the  table,  and  thousands  would  exchange  their  sallow  complexions,  sick- 
headaches,  and  general  ennui  for  a  breezy  interest  in  life  and  its  abound- 
ing pleasures,  if  they  would  only  take  nature's  palpable  hint,  and  enjoy  the 
seasonable  food  she  provides.  Belles  can  find  better  cosmetics  in  the  fruit 
garden  than  on  their  toilet  tables,  and  she  who  paints  her  cheeks  with  the 
pure,  healthful  blood  that  is  made  from  nature's  choicest  gifts,  and  the 
exercise  of  gathering  them,  can  give  her  lover  a  kiss  that  will  make  him 
wish  for  another. 

The  famous  Dr.  Hosack,  of  New  York  city,  who  attended  Alexander 
Hamilton  after  he  received  his  fatal  wound  from  Burr,  was  an  enthusiast  on 
the  subject  of  fruits.  It  was  his  custom  to  terminate  his  spring  course  of 
lectures  with  a  strawberry  festival.  "  I  must  let  the  class  see,"  he  said, 
"  that  we  are  practical  as  well  as  theoretical.  Linnaeus  cured  his  gout  and 
protracted  his  life  by  eating  strawberries." 

"  They  are  a  dear  article,"  a  friend  remarked,  "  to  gratify  the  appetites 
of  so  many." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  the  doctor,  "  but  from  our  present  mode  of 
culture  they  will  become  cheap." 

It  is  hard  to  realize  how  scarce  this  fruit  was  sixty  or  seventy  years- 
ago,  but  the  prediction  of  the  sagacious  physician  has  been  verified  even 
beyond  his  imagination.  Strawberries  are  raised  almost  as  abundantly 


22  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

.as  potatoes,  and  for  a  month  or  more  can  be  eaten  as  a  cheap  and 
wholesome  food  by  all  classes,  even  the  poorest.  By  a  proper  selection 
of  varieties  we,  in  our  home,  feast  upon  them  six  weeks  together,  and 
so  might  the  majority  of  those  whose  happy  lot  is  cast  in  the  country. 
The  small  area  of  a  city  yard  planted  with  a  few  choice  kinds  will  often 
yield  surprising  returns  under  sensible  culture. 

If  we  cultivate  these  beautiful  and  delicious  fruits  we  always  have 
the  power  of  giving  pleasure  to  others,  and  he 's  a  churl  and  she  a  pale 
reflection  of  Xantippe  who  does  not  covet  this  power.  The  faces  of  our 
guests  brighten  as  they  snuff  from  afar  the  delicate  aroma.  Our  vines 
can  furnish  gifts  that  our  friends  will  ever  welcome  ;  and  by  means  of 
their  products  we  can  pay  a  homage  to  genius  that  will  be  far  more 
grateful  than  commonplace  compliments.  I  have  seen  a  letter  from  the 
Hon.  Wm.  C.  Bryant,  which  is  a  rich  return  for  the  few  strawberries 
that  were  sent  to  him,  and  the  thought  that  they  gave  him  pleasure 
gives  the  donor  far  more.  They  are  a  gift  that  one  can  bestow  and 
.another  take  without  involving  any  compromise  on  either  side,  since 
they  belong  to  the  same  category  as  smiles,  kind  words  and  the  universal 
freemasonry  of  friendship.  Faces  grow  radiant  over  a  basket  of  fruit  or 
flowers  that  would  darken  with  anger  at  other  gifts. 

If,  in  the  circle  of  our  acquaintance,  there  are  those  shut  up 
to  the  weariness  and  heavy  atmosphere  of  a  sick-room,  in  no  way  can 
we  send  a  ray  of  sunlight  athwart  their  pallid  faces  more  effectually  than 
by  placing  a  basket  of  fragrant  fruit  on  the  table  beside  them.  Even 
though  the  physician  may  render  it  "forbidden  fruit,"  their  eyes  will  feast 
upon  it  and  the  aroma  will  teach  them  that  the  world  is  not  passing 
on,  unheeding  and  uncaring  whether  they  live  or  die. 

The  Fruit  and  Flower  Mission  of  New  York  is  engaged  in  a  beautiful 
and  most  useful  charity.  Into  tenement-houses  and  the  hot  close  wards  of 
city  hospitals,  true  sisters  of  mercy  of  the  one  Catholic  church  of  love  and 
kindness  carry  the  fragrant  emblems  of  an  Eden  that  was  lost,  but  may 
be  regained  even  by  those  who  have  wandered  farthest  from  its  beauty 
and  purity.  Men  and  women,  with  faces  seemingly  hardened  and 
grown  rigid  under  the  impress  of  vice,  that  but  too  correct!^  reveal  the 
coarse  and  brutal  nature  within,  often  become  wistful  and  tender  over 
some  simple  flower  or  luscious  fruit  that  recalls  earlier  and  happier  days. 
These  are  gifts  which  offend  no  prejudices,  and  inevitably  suggest  that 
which  is  good,  sweet,  wholesome  and  pure.  For  a  moment,  at  least,  and 
perhaps  forever,  they  may  lead  stained  and  debased  creatures  to  turn  their 
faces  heavenward.  There  are  little  suffering  children  also  in  the  hospitals; 


The  Fruit  Garden. 


there  are  exiles  from  country  homes  and  country  life  in  the  city  who 
have  been  swept  down  not  by  evil  but  the  dark  tides  of  disaster,  poverty 
and  disease,  and  to  such  it  is  a  privilege  as  well  as  a  pleasure  to  send  gifts 
that  will  tend  to  revive  hope  and  courage.  That  we  may  often  avail 
ourselves  of  these  gracious  opportunities  of  giving  the  equivalent  of  a 
"  cup  of  cold  water,"  we  should  plant  fruits  and  flowers  in  abundance. 


14- 

.;|H^  I  • 


The  New  York  Flower  and  Fruit  Mission. — A  Gift  of  Strawberries. 

One  of  the  sad  features  of  our  time  is  the  tendency  of  young  people 
to  leave  their  country  homes.  And  too  often  one  does  not  need  to  look 
far  for  the  reason.  Life  at  the  farm-house  sinks  into  deep  ruts,  and  becomes 
weary  plodding.  There  are  too  many  "one-ideaed"  farmers  and  farms. 
It  is  corn,  potatoes,  wheat,  butter  or  milk.  The  staple  production  absorbs 
all  thought  and  everything  else  is  neglected.  Nature  demands  that  young 
people  should  have  variety,  and  furnishes  it  in  abundance,  The  stolid 
farmer  too  often  ignores  nature  and  the  cravings  of  youth,  and  insists  on 
the  heavy  monotonous  work  of  his  specialty,  early  and  late,  the  year 
around,  and  then  wonders  why  in  his  declining  years  there  are  no- 


24  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

strong  young  hands  to  lighten  his  toil.  The  boy  who  might  have  lived  a 
sturdy,  healthful,  independent  life  among  his  native  hills  is  a  bleached 
and  sallow  youth  measuring  ribbons  and  calicoes  behind  a  city  counter. 
The  girl  who  might  have  been  the  mistress  of  a  tree-shadowed  country 
house  disappears  under  much  darker  shadows  in  town.  But  for  their 


The  Home  She  Might  Have  Had. 

early  home  life,  so  meager  and  devoid  of  interest,  they  might  have 
breathed  pure  air  all  their  days. 

Not  the  least  among  the  means  of  making  a  home  attractive  would  be 
a  well-maintained  fruit  garden.  The  heart  and  the  stomach  have  been 
found  nearer  together  by  the  metaphysicians  than  the  physiologists,  and 
if  the  "  house  mother,"  as  the  Germans  say,  beamed  often  at  her  children 
over  a  great  dish  of  berries  flanked  by  a  pitcher  of  unskimmed  milk,  not 
only  good  blood  and  good  feeling  would  be  developed,  but  something 
that  the  poets  call  "  early  ties." 

There  is  one  form  of  gambling  or  speculation  that,  within  proper 
limits,  is  entirely  innocent  and  healthful — the  raising  of  new  seedling 
fruits  and  the  testing  of  new  varieties.  In  these  pursuits,  the  elements  of 
chance,  skill  and  judgment  enter  so  evenly  that  they  are  an  unfailing 
source  of  pleasurable  excitement.  The  catalogues  of  plant,  tree  and  seed 


The  Fruit  Garden.  25 

dealers  abound  in  novelties.  The  majority  of  them  cannot  endure  the 
test  of  being  grown  by  the  side  of  our  well-known  standard  kinds,  but 
now  and  then  an  exceedingly  valuable  variety,  remarkable  for  certain 
qualities  or  peculiarly  adapted  to  special  localities  and  uses,  is  developed. 
There  is  not  only  an  unfailing  pleasure  in  making  these  discoveries,  but 
often  a  large  profit.  If,  three  or  four  years  ago,  a  country  boy  had 
bought  a  dozen  Sharpless  strawberry  plants,  and  propagated  from  them, 
he  might  now  obtain  several  hundred  dollars  from  their  increased 

o 

numbers.  Time  only  can  show  whether  this  novelty  will  become  a 
standard  variety,  but  at  present  the  plants  are  in  great  demand. 

The  young  people  of  a  country  home  may  become  deeply  interested 
in  originating  new  seedlings.  A  thousand  strawberry  seeds  will  produce  a 
thousand  new  kinds,  and,  although  the  prospects  are  that  none  of  them 
will  equal  those  now  in  favor,  something  very  fine  and  superior  may  be 
obtained.  Be  this  as  it  may,  if  these  simple  natural  interests  prevent  boys 
and  girls  from  being  drawn  into  the  maelstrom  of  city  life,  until  character 
is  formed,  each  plant  will  have  a  value  beyond  silver  or  gold. 

One  of  the  supreme  rewards  of  human  endeavor  is  a  true  home,  and 
surely  it  is  as  stupid  as  it  is  wrong  to  neglect  some  of  the  simplest  and 
yet  most  effectual  means  of  securing  this  crown  of  earthly  life.  A  home 
is  the  product  of  many  and  varied  causes,  but  I  have  yet  to  see  the  man 
who  will  deny  that  delicious  small  fruits  for  eight  months  of  the  year  and 
the  richer  pleasure  even  of  cultivating  and  gathering  them,  may  become 
one  of  the  chief  contributions  to  this  result.  I  use  the  words  "  eight 
months  "  advisedly,  for  even  now,  January  29,  we  are  enjoying  grapes 
that  were  buried  in  the  ground  last  October.  I  suppose  my  children  are 
very  material  and  unlike  the  good  little  people  who  do  not  live  long,  but 
they  place  a  white  mark  against  the  days  on  which  we  unearth  a  jar  of 
grapes. 


CHAPTER    III. 


SMALL   FRUIT   FARMING   AND   ITS   PROFITS. 


A  FARM  without  a  fruit  garden  may  justly  be  regarded  as  proof  of  a 
low  state  of  civilization  in  the  farmer.  No  country  home  should  be 
without  such  simple  means  of  health  and  happiness.  For  obvious  reasons, 
however,  there  is  not,  and  never  can  be,  the  same  room  for  fruit  raising 
as  there  is  for  grain,  grass,  and  stock  farming.  Nevertheless,  the  oppor- 
tunities to  engage  with  profit  in  this  industry  on  a  large  scale  are  increasing 
every  year.  From  being  a  luxury  of  a  few,  the  small  fruits  have  become 
an  article  of  daily  food  to  the  million.  Even  the  country  village  must 
have  its  supply,  and  the  number  of  crates  that  are  shipped  from  New  York 
city  to  neighboring  towns  is  astonishingly  large.  As  an  illustration  of  the 
rapidly  enlarging  demand  for  these  fruits,  let  us  consider  the  experience  of 
one  Western  city — Cincinnati.  Mr.  W.  H.  Corbly,  who  is  there  regarded 
as  one  of  the  best  informed  on  these  subjects,  has  gathered  the  following 
statistics:  "In  1835  it  was  regarded  as  a  most  wonderful  thing  that  loo 
bushels  of  strawberries  could  be  disposed  of  on  the  Cincinnati  market  in 
one  day,  and  was  commented  on  as  a  great  event.  A  close  estimate  shows 
that  during  the  summer  of  1879  eighty  to  eighty-five  thousand  bushels  of 
strawberries  were  sold  in  Cincinnati.  Of  course,  a  large  part  of  these  berries 
were  shipped  away,  but  it  is  estimated  that  nearly  one-half  were  consumed 
here.  About  the  year  1838,  the  cultivation  of  black  raspberries  was  com- 
menced in  this  county  by  James  Gallagher  and  F.  A.  McCormick  of 
Salem,  Anderson  township.  The  first  year,  Gallagher's  largest  shipment 
in  one  day  was  six  bushels,  and  McCormick's  four.  When  they  were 

26 


Fruit  Farming.  27 


placed  on  the  market,  McCormick  sold  out  at  6l/£  cents  per  quart,  and 
Gallagher  held  off  till  McCormick  had  sold  out,  when  he  put  his  on  sale 
and  obtained  8^  cents  per  quart,  and  the  demand  was  fully  supplied.  It 
is  estimated  that  the  crop  for  the  year  of  1879,  handled  in  Cincinnati, 
amounted  to  from  seventy-five  thousand  to  eighty  thousand  bushels  —  the 
crop  being  a  fairly  good  one  —  selling  at  an  average  of  about  $2  per  bushel." 
It  has  been  stated  in  the  Country  Gentleman  that  about  $5,000,000  worth 
of  small  fruits  were  sold  in  Michigan  in  one  year;  and  the  same  authority 
estimates  that  $25,000,000  worth  are  consumed  annually  in  New  York 
city.  In  the  future,  it  would  seem  that  this  demand  would  increase  even 
more  rapidly  ;  for  in  every  fruit-growing  region  immense  canning  establish- 
ments are  coming  into  existence,  to  which  the  markets  of  the  world  are 
open.  Therefore,  in  addition  to  the  thousands  already  embarked  in  this 
industry,  still  larger  numbers  will  engage  in  it  during  the  next  few  years. 

Those  who  now  for  the  first  time  are  turning  their  attention  toward 
this  occupation  may  be  divided  mainly  into  two  classes.  The  first  consists 
of  established  farmers,  who,  finding  markets  within  their  reach,  extend  their 
patches  of  raspberries,  currants,  or  strawberries  to  such  a  degree  that  they 
have  a  surplus  to  sell.  To  the  extent  that  such  sales  are  remunera- 
tive, they  increase  the  area  of  fruits,  until  in  many  instances  they  become 
virtually  fruit  farmers.  More  often  a  few  acres  are  devoted  to  horticulture, 
and  the  rest  of  the  farm  is  carried  on  in  the  old  way. 

The  second  class  is  made  up  chiefly  of  those  who  are  unfamiliar  with 
the  soil  and  its  culture  —  mechanics,  professional  men,  who  hope  to  regain 
health  by  coming  back  to  nature,  and  citizens  whose  ill-success  or  instincts 
suggest  country  life  and  labors.  From  both  these  classes,  and  especially 
from  the  latter,  I  receive  very  many  letters,  containing  all  kinds  of  ques- 
tions. The  chief  burden  on  most  minds,  however,  is  summed  up  in  the 
words,  "  Do  small  fruits  pay  ?  "  To  meet  the  needs  of  these  two  classes 
is  one  of  the  great  aims  of  this  work  ;  and  it  is  my  most  earnest  wish  not 
to  mislead  by  high-colored  pictures. 

Small  fruits  pay  many  people  well  ;  and  unless  location,  soil,  or  climate 
is  hopelessly  against  one,  the  degree  of  profit  will  depend  chiefly  upon 
his  skill,  judgment,  and  industry.  The  raising  of  small  fruits  is  like  other 
callings  in  which  some  are  getting  rich,  more  earning  a  fair  livelihood,  and 
not  a  few  failing.  It  is  a  business  in  which  there  is  an  abundance  of  sharp, 
keen  competition  ;  and  ignorance,  poor  judgment,  and  shiftless,  idle  ways 
will  be  as  fatal  as  in  the  workshop,  store,  or  office. 

Innumerable  failures  result  from  inexperience.  I  will  give  one  extreme 
example,  which  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  sanguine  mental  condition  of 


28  Success  with  Small  km  it*. 

many  who  read  of  large  returns  in  fruit  culture.  A  young  man  who  had 
inherited  a  few  hundred  dollars  wrote  me  that  he  could  hire  a  piece  of 
land  for  a  certain  amount,  and  he  wished  to  invest  the  balance — every 
cent — in  plants,  thus  leaving  himself  no  capital  with  which  to  continue: 
operations,  but  expecting  that  a  speedy  crop  would  lift  him  at  once  into  a 
prosperous  career.  I  wrote  that  under  the  circumstances  I  could  not 
supply  him — that  it  would  be  about  the  same  as  robbery  to  do  so;  and 
advised  him  to  spend  several  years  with  a  practical  and  successful  fruit- 
grower and  learn  the  business. 

Most  people  enter  upon  this  calling  in  the  form  of  a  wedge ;  but  only 
too  many  commence  at  the  blunt  end,  investing  largely  at  once  in 
everything,  and  therefore  their  business  soon  tapers  down  to  nothing. 
The  wise  begin  at  the  point  of  the  wedge  and  develop  their  calling 
naturally,  healthfully ;  learning,  by  experience  and  careful  observation,  how 
to  grow  fruits  profitably,  and  which  kinds  pay  the  best.  There  ought 
also  to  be  considerable  capital  to  start  with,  and  an  absence  of  the  crushing 
burden  of  interest  money.  No  fruits  yield  any  returns  before  the 
second  or  third  year  ;  and  there  are  often  unfavorable  seasons  and  glutted 
markets.  Nature's  prizes  are  won  by  patient,  persistent  industry,  and  not 
by  Wall  street  sleight  of  hand. 

Location  is  very  important.  A  fancy  store,  however  well-furnished, 
would  be  a  ruinous  investment  at  a  country  cross-road.  The  fruit  farm 
must  be  situated  where  there  is  quick  and  cheap  access  to  good  markets, 
and  often  the  very  best  market  may  be  found  at  a  neighboring  village, 
summer  resort,  or  a  canning  establishment.  Enterprise  and  industry,, 
however,  seem  to  surmount  all  obstacles.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Knox  shipped 
his  famous  "  700 "  strawberry  (afterward  known  to  be  the  Jucunda,  a 
foreign  variety)  from  Pittsburg  to  New  York,  securing  large  returns ; 
and,  take  the  country  over,  the  most  successful  fruit  farms  seem  to  be 
located  where  live  men  live  and  work.  Still,  if  one  were  about  to 
purchase,  sound  judgment  would  suggest  a  very  careful  choice  of  locality 
with  speedy  access  to  good  markets.  Mr.  J.  J.  Thomas,  editor  of  the 
Country  Gentleman,  in  a  paper  upon  the  Outlook  of  Fruit  Culture,  read 
before  the  Western  N.  Y.  Horticultural  Society,  laid  down  three  essentials 
to  success. 

1st.  Locality — a  region  found  by  experience  to  be  adapted  to  fruit 
growing.  2d.  Wise  selection  of  varieties  of  each  kind.  3d.  Care  and 
culture  of  these  varieties.  He  certainly  is  excellent  authority. 

These  obvious  considerations,  and  the  facts  that  have  been  instanced, 
make  it  clear  that  brains  must  unite  with  labor  and  capital.  Above 


Fruit  Fanning.  29- 

all,  however,  there  must  be  trained,  practical  skill.  Those  succeed  who 
learn  how;  and  to  add  a  little  deftness  to  unskilled  hands  is  the 
object  of  every  succeeding  page.  At  the  same  time,  I  frankly  admit 
that  nothing  can  take  the  place  of  experience.  I  once  asked  an 
eminent  physician  if  a  careful  reading  of  the  best  medical  text-books 
and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  materia  medica  could  take  the  place 
of  daily  study  of  actual  disease  and  fit  a  man  for  practice,  and  he 
emphatically  answered  "  No ! "  It  is  equally  true  that  an  intelligent 
man  can  familiarize  himself  with  every  horticultural  writer,  from  the  classic 
age  to  our  own,  and  yet  be  outstripped  in  success  by  an  ignorant  Irish 
laborer  who  has  learned  the  little  he  knows  in  the  school  of  experience. 
The  probabilities  are,  however,  that  the  laborer  will  remain  such  all  his 
days,  while  the  thoughtful,  reading  man,  who  is  too  sensible  to  be  carried 
away  by  theories,  and  who  supplements  his  science  with  experience,  may 
enrich  not  only  himself  but  the  world. 

Still  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  chances  of  success  are  largely  in 
favor  of  the  class  I  first  named — -the  farmers  who  turn  their  attention  in 
part  or  wholly  toward  fruit  growing.  They  are  accustomed  to  hard 
out-of-door  work  and  the  general  principles  of  agriculture.  The  first  is 
always  essential  to  success ;  and  a  good  farmer  can  soon  become  equally 
skillful  in  the  care  of  fruits  if  he  gives  his  mind  to  their  culture.  The 
heavy,  stupid,  prejudiced  plodder  who  thinks  a  thing  is  right  solely  because 
his  grandfather  did  it,  is  a  bucolic  monster  that  is  receding  so  fast  into 
remote  wilds  before  the  horticultural  press  that  he  scarcely  need  be  taken 
into  account.  Therefore,  the  citizen  or  professional  man  inclined  to 
engage  in  fruit  farming  should  remember  that  he  must  compete  with  the 
hardy,  intelligent  sons  of  the  soil,  who,  in  most  instances,  are  crowning 
their  practical  experience  with  careful  reading.  I  do  not  say  this  to 
discourage  any  one,  but  only  to  secure  a  thoughtful  and  adequate  consider- 
ation of  the  subject  before  the  small  accumulations  of  years  are  embarked 
in  what  may  be  a  very  doubtful  venture.  Many  have  been  misled  to 
heavy  loss  by  enthusiastic  works  on  horticulture ;  I  wish  my  little  book 
to  lead  only  to  success. 

If  white-handed,  hollow-chested  professional  men  anxious  to  acquire 
money,  muscle  and  health  by  fruit  raising — if  citizens  disgusted  with 
pavements  and  crowds  are  willing  to  take  counsel  of  common  sense  and 
learn  the  business  practically  and  thoroughly,  why  should  they  not  succeed? 
But  let  no  one  imagine  that  horticulture  is  the  final  resort  of  ignorance, 
indolence  or  incapacity,  physical  or  mental.  Impostors  palm  themselves  off 
on  the  world  daily ;  a  credulous  public  takes  poisonous  nostrums  by  the 


3O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

ton  and  butt ;  but  nature  recognizes  error  every  time,  and  quietly  thwarts 
those  who  try  to  wrong  her,  either  willfully  or  blunderingly. 

Mr.  Peter  Henderson,  who  has  been  engaged  practically  in  vegetable 
gardening  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  states,  as  a  result  of  his  expe- 
rience, that  capital,  at  the  rate  of  $300  per  acre,  is  required  in  starting  a 
"truck  farm,"  and  that  the  great  majority  fail  who  make  the  attempt  with 
less  means.  In  my  opinion,  the  fruit  farmer  would  require  capital  in  like 
proportion  ;  for,  while  many  of  the  small  fruits  can  be  grown  with  less  prep- 
aration of  soil  and  outlay  in  manure,  the  returns  come  more  slowly,  since, 
with  the  exception  of  strawberries,  none  of  them  yield  a  full  crop  until  the 
third  or  fourth  year.  I  advise  most  urgently  against  the  incurring  of  heavy 
debts.  Better  begin  with  three  acres  than  thirty,  or  three  hundred,  from 
which  a  large  sum  of  interest  money  must  be  obtained  before  a  penny  can 
be  used  for  other  purposes.  Anything  can  be  raised  from  a  farm  easier 
than  a  mortgage. 

Success  depends  very  largely,  also,  on  the  character  of  the  soil.  If  it 
is  so  high  and  dry  as  to  suffer  severely  from  drouth  two  years  out  of  three, 
it  cannot  be  made  to  pay  except  by  irrigation ;  if  so  low  as  to  be  wet, 
rather  than  moist,  the  prospects  are  but  little  better.  Those  who  are  per- 
manently settled  must  do  their  best  with  such  land  as  they  have,  and  in  a 
later  chapter  I  shall  suggest  how  differing  soils  should  be  managed.  To 
those  who  can  still  choose  their  location,  I  would  recommend  a  deep  mel- 
low loam,  with  a  rather  compact  subsoil — moist,  but  capable  of  thorough 
drainage.  Diversity  of  soil  and  exposure  offer  peculiar  advantages  also. 
Some  fruits  thrive  best  in  a  stiff  clay,  others  in  sandy  upland.  Early 
varieties  ripen  earlier  on  a  sunny  slope,  while  a  late  kind  is  rendered  later 
on  a  northern  hill-side,  or  in  the  partial  shade  of  a  grove.  In  treating  each 
fruit  and  variety,  I  shall  try  to  indicate  the  soils  and  exposures  to  which 
they  are  best  adapted. 

Profits.  The  reader  will  naturally  wish  for  some  definite  statements  of 
the  profits  of  fruit  farming ;  but  I  almost  hesitate  to  comply  with  this  desire. 
A  gentleman  wrote  to  me  that  he  sold  from  an  acre  of  Cuthbert  raspber- 
ries $800  worth  of  fruit.  In  view  of  this  fact,  not  a  few  will  sit  down  and 
begin  to  figure — "If  one  acre  yielded  $800,  ten  acres  would  produce  $8,000; 
twenty  acres  $16,000,  &c.  Multitudes  have  been  led  into  trouble  by  this 
kind  of  reasoning.  The  capacity  of  an  engine  with  a  given  motor  power 
can  be  measured,  and  certain  and  unvarying  results  predicted ;  but  who  can 
measure  the  resources  of  an  acre  through  varying  seasons  and  under  differ- 
ing culture,  or  foretell  the  price  of  the  crops?  In  estimating  future  profits, 
we  can  only  approximate  ;  and  the  following  records  are  given  merely  to 


Fruit  Farming.  31 

show  what  results  have  been  secured,  and  therefore  may  be  obtained  again, 
and  even  surpassed.  The  Country  Gentleman  gives  a  well-authenticated 
instance  of  a  fruit  grower  who  "  received  more  than  $2,000  from  three 
acres  of  strawberries."  In  contrast,  however,  it  could  be  shown  that  many 
fields  have  not  paid  expenses.  I  once  had  such  an  experience.  The 
market  was  "  glutted,"  and  the  variety  yielded  berries  so  small  and  poor 
that  they  did  not  average  five  cents  per  quart.  Occasionally,  we  hear  of 
immense  shipments  from  the  South  being  thrown  into  the  dock. 

Mr.  William  Parry,  a  veteran  fruit  grower  in  New  Jersey,  states  the 
truth  I  wish  to  convey  very  clearly,  and  gives  a  fair  mean  between  these 
two  extremes : 

"YIELD    AND    PROFIT. 

"  There  are  so  many  circumstances  connected  with  strawberry  growing,  such  as 
varieties,  soil,  climate,  location,  markets,  and  the  skill  and  management  of  the 
grower,  that  the  results  of  a  few  cases  cannot  be  relied  on  for  general  rules. 

"  We  have  grown  over  two  hundred  bushels  per  acre  here,  and  realized  upward 
of  six  hundred  dollars  per  acre  for  the  crop ;  but  that  is  much  above  the  general 
average.  Having  kept  a  careful  record,  for  fourteen  years  past,  of  the  yield  per  acre 
and  price  per  quart  at  which  our  strawberries  have  been  sold,  we  find  the  average  to 
be  about  2,500  quarts  per  acre,  and  the  price  eleven  cents  per  quart  in  market,  giving 
the  following  results : 

Commissions,  10  per  cent $27 . 50 

Picking  2,500  quarts,  at  2C.  per  quart 50 .  oo 

Manure 1 7 . 50 

Use  of  Baskets i  o .  oo 

Cultivation,  etc 25 .  oo 

Net  profits  per  acre 145 .  oo 


Gross  proceeds,  2,500  quarts  at  nc $275.00" 

In  the  year  1876,  the  same  gentleman  had  ten  acres  of  Brandy  wine 
raspberries  that  yielded  about  82  bushels  to  the  acre,  giving  a  clear  profit 
of  $280,  or  of  $2,800  for  the  entire  area.  This  crop,  so  far  from  being  the 
average,  was  awarded  a  premium  as  the  most  profitable  that  year  in  the 
section. 

J.  R.  Gaston  &  Sons,  of  Normal,  111.,  have  given  the  following  record 
of  a  plantation  of  Snyder  blackberries :  "  We  commenced  to  pick  a 
field  of  seven  acres  July  I2th,  and  finished  picking  August  22d.  The 
total  amount  gathered  was  43,575  quarts,  equal  to  1,361  bushels  and  22 
quarts.  The  average  price  was  eight  cents  per  quart,  making  the  gross 


32  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

proceeds  equal  to  $3,486.  We  paid  for  picking  $43575-  The  cost  of 
trimming  and  cultivating  was  about  $400;  cost  of  boxes,  crates  and 
marketing  was  $1,307.25,  leaving  a  net  profit  of  $1,343." 

A  gentleman  in  Ulster  Co.,  N.  Y.,  stated  that  200  bushes  of  the 
Cherry  currant  yielded  him  in  one  season  1,000  Ibs.  of  fruit,  which  was 
sold  at  an  average  of  eight  cents  per  pound.  His  gross  receipts  were 
$80  from  one-fourteenth  of  an  acre,  and  at  the  same  ratio  an  acre  would 
have  yielded  $1,120.  Is  this  an  average  yield?  So  far  from  it,  there 
are  many  acres  of  currants  and  gooseberries  that  do  not  pay  expenses. 
Thus  it  can  be  seen  that  the  scale  ranges  from  marvelous  prizes  down 
to  blanks  and  heavy  losses ;  but  the  drawing  is  not  a  game  of  chance, 
but  usually  the  result  of  skill  and  industry,  or  their  reverse. 


Tools  for  a  Strawberry  Farm.  » 

I  might  have  given  many  examples  of  large,  and  even  enormously 
large,  profits  obtained  under  exceptional  circumstances  ;  but  they  tend 
to  mislead.  I  write  for  those  whose  hearts  prompt  them  to  co-work  with 
nature,  and  who  are  most  happy  when  doing  her  bidding  in  the  breezy 
fields  and  gardens,  content  with  fair  rewards,  instead  of  being  consumed 
by  the  gambler's  greed  for  unearned  gold.  At  the  same  time,  I  am 
decidedly  in  favor  of  high  culture,  and  the  most  generous  enriching 
of  the  soil ;  convinced  that  fruit  growers  and  farmers  in  general  would 
make  far  more  money  if  they  spent  upon  one  acre  what  they  usually 
expend  on  three.  In  a  later  chapter  will  be  found  an  instance  of  an 
expenditure  of  $350  Per  acre  on  strawberry  land,  and  the  net  profits 
obtained  were  proportionately  large. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


STRAWBERRIES — THE    FIVE    SPECIES   AND   THEIR    HISTORY. 


THE  conscientious  Diedrich  Knickerbocker,  that  venerated  historian 
from  whom  all  good  citizens  of  New  York  obtain  the  first  impres- 
sions of  their  ancestry,  felt  that  he  had  no  right  to  chronicle  the 
vicissitudes  of  Manhattan  Island  until  he  had  first  accounted  for  the 
universe  of  which  it  is  a  part.  Equally  with  the  important  bit  of  land 
named,  the  strawberry  belongs  to  the  existing  cosmos,  and  might  be 
traced  back  to  "old  chaos."  I  hasten  to  re-assure  the  dismayed  reader. 
I  shall  not  presume  to  follow  one  who  could  illumine  his  page  with 
genius,  and  whose  extensive  learning  enabled  him  to  account  for  the 
universe,  not  merely  in  one  but  in  half  a  dozen  ways. 

It  is  the  tendency  of  the  present  age  to  ask  what  is,  not  what  has 
been  or  shall  be.  And  yet,  on  the  part  of  some,  as  they  deliberately 
enjoy  a  saucer  of  strawberries  and  cream, — it  is  a  pleasure  that  we 
prolong  for  obvious  reasons, — a  languid  curiosity  may  arise  as  to  the 
origin  and  history  of  so  delicious  a  fruit.  I  suppose  Mr.  Darwin  would 
say,  "it  was  evolved."  But  some  specimens  between  our  lips  suggest 
that  a  Geneva  watch  could  put  itself  together  quite  as  readily.  At  the 
same  time,  it  must  be  said  that  our  "  rude  forefathers"  did  not  eat 
Monarch  or  Charles  Downing  strawberries.  In  few  fruits,  probably,  have 
there  been  such  vast  changes  or  improvements  as  in  this.  Therefore, 
I  shall  answer  briefly  and  as  well  as  I  can,  in  view  of  the  meager  data 

5  33 


34  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

and  conflicting  opinions  of  the  authorities,  the  curiosity  that  I  have 
imagined  on  some  faces.  Those  who  care  only  for  the  strawberry  of 
to-day  can  easily  skip  a  few  pages. 

If  there  were  as  much  doubt  about  a  crop  of  this  fruit  as  concern- 
ing the  origin  of  its  name,  the  outlook  would  be  dismal,  indeed.  In  old 
Saxon,  the  word  was  strea^vberige  or  streowberrie ;  and  was  so  named, 
says  one  authority,  "  from  the  straw- like  stems  of  the  plant,  or  from  the 
berries  lying  strewn  upon  the  ground."  Another  authority  tells  us: 
"  It  is  an  old  English  practice  "  (let  us  hope  a  modern  one  also)  "  to 
lay  straw  between  the  rows  to  preserve  the  fruit  from  rotting  on  the 
wet  ground,  from  which  the  name  has  been  supposed  to  be  derived ; 
although  more  probably  it  is  from  the  wandering  habit  of  the  plant, 
straw  being  a  corruption  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  stra,  from  which  we  have 
the  English  verb  stray."  Again,  tradition  asserts  that  in  the  olden  times 
children  strung  the  berries  on  straws  for  sale,  and  hence  the  name. 
Several  other  causes  have  been  suggested,  but  I  forbear.  I  have  never 
known,  however,  a  person  to  decline  the  fruit  on  the  ground  of  this 
obscurity  and  doubt.  (Controversialists  and  skeptics  please  take  note.) 

That  the  strawberry  should  belong  to  the  rose  family,  and  that  its 
botanical  name  should  be  fragaria,  from  the  Latin  fragro,  to  smell 
sweetly,  will  seem  both  natural  and  appropriate. 

While  for  his  knowledge  of  the  plant  I  refer  the  reader  to  every  hill- 
side and  field  (would  that  I  might  say,  to  every  garden  !),  there  is  a  pecul- 
iarity in  the  production  of  the  fruit  which  should 
not  pass  unnoted.  Strictly  speaking,  the  small 
seeds  scattered  over  the  surface  of  the  berry  are 
the  fruit,  and  it  is  to  perfect  these  seeds  that  the 
plants  blossom,  the  stamens  scatter,  and  the 
pistils  receive  the  pollen  on  the  convex  recepta- 
cle, which,  as  the  seeds  ripen,  greatly  enlarges, 
and  becomes  the  pulpy  and  delicious  mass  that 
is  popularly  regarded  as  the  fruit.  So  far  from 
being  the  fruit,  it  is  only  "the  much  altered 
end  of  the  stem"  that  sustains  the  fruit  or  seeds ; 
and  so  it  becomes  a  beautiful  illustration  of  a  kindly,  genuine  courtesy, 
which  renders  an  ordinary  service  with  so  much  grace  and  graciousness 
that  we  dwell  on  the  manner  with  far  more  pleasure  than  on  the 
service  itself. 

The  innumerable  varieties  of  strawberries  that  are  now  in  existence 
appear,  either  in  their  character  or  origin,  to  belong  to  five  great  and  quite 


Strawberries — Origin  and  History. 


35 


•distinct  species.  The  first,  and  for  a  long  time  the  only  one  of  which  we 
have  any  record,  is  the  Fragaria  Vesca,  or  the  Alpine  strawberry.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  widely  spread  fruits 
of  the  world,  for  it  grows,  and  for 
centuries  has  grown,  wild  through- 
out Northern  and  Central  Europe 
and  Asia,  following  the  mountains 
far  to  the  south  ;  and  on  this  conti- 
nent, from  time  immemorial,  the 
Indian  children  have  gathered  it 
from  the  Northern  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific.  In  England  this  species 
•exhibits  some  variation  from  the 

Alpine  type,  and  was  called  by  our  ancestors  the  Wood  strawberry.  The 
chief  difference  between  the  two  is  in  the  form  of  the  fruit,  the  Wood 
varieties  being  round  and  the  Alpine  conical.  They  are  also  subdivided 
into  white  and  red,  annual  and  monthly  varieties,  and  those  that  produce 
no  runners,  which  are  known  to-day  as  Bush  Alpines. 

The  Alpine,  as  we  find  it   growing  wild,  was   the   strawberry  of  the 
ancients.     It  is  to  it  that  the  suggestive  lines  of  Virgil  refer, 

"  Ye  boys  that  gather  flowers  and  strawberries, 
Lo,  hid  within  the  grass  an  adder  lies." 


The  Alpine  Strawberry  (  Fragaria  Vesca). 


J.FRANK  JIMGLI»G-SE 


There  is  no  proof,  I  believe,  that  the  strawberry  was  cultivated  during 
any  of  the    earlier   civilizations.      Some  who   wrote  most    explicitly  con- 


36  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

cerning  the  fruit  culture  of  their  time  do  not  mention  it ;  and  Virgil,  Ovid, 
and  Pliny  name  it  but  casually,  and  with  no  reference  to  its  cultivation.  It 
may  appear  a  little  strange  that. the  luxurious  Romans,  who  fed  on  night- 
ingales' tongues,  peacocks'  brains,  and  scoured  earth  and  air  for  delicacies, 
should  have  given  but  little  attention  to  this  fruit  Possibly  they  early 
learned  the  fact  that  this  species  is  essentially  a  wildling,  and,  like  the  trail- 
ing arbutus,  thrives  best  in  its  natural  haunts.  The  best  that  grew  could 
be  gathered  from  mountain-slopes  and  in  the  crevices  of  rocks.  Moreover, 
those  old  revelers  became  too  wicked  and  sensual  to  relish  Alpine  straw- 
berries. 

Its  congener,  the  Wood  strawberry,  was  the  burden  of  one  of  the 
London  street  cries  400  years  ago ;  and  to-day  the  same  cry,  in  some 
language  or  other,  echoes  around  the  northern  hemisphere  as  one  of  the 
inevitable  and  welcome  sounds  of  spring  and  early  summer. 

But  few,  perhaps,  associate  this  lowly  little  fruit,  that  is  almost  as 
delicate  and  shy  as  the  anemone,  with  tragedy ;  and  yet  its  chief  poetical 
associations  are  among  the  darkest  and  saddest  that  can  be  imagined. 
Shakspeare's  mention  of  the  strawberry  in  the  play  of  Richard  III.  was  an 
unconscious  but  remarkable  illustration  of  the  second  line  already  quoted 
from  Virgil : 

"  Lo,  hid*  within  the  grass  an  adder  lies." 

The  bit  of  history  which  is  the  occasion  of  this  allusion  is  given  in  the 
quaint  old  English  of  Sir  Thomas  More,  who  thus  describes  the  entrance 
to  the  Council  of  the  terrible  "  Protector,"  from  whom  nothing  good  or 
sacred  could  be  protected.  He  came  "  fyrste  about  IX  of  the  clocker 
saluting  them  curtesly,  and  excusing  himself  that  he  had  been  from  them 
so  long,  saieing  merily  that  he  had  been  a  slepe  that  day.  And  after  a 
little  talking  with  them  he  said  unto  the  bishop  of  Elye,  my  lord,  You 
have  very  good  strawberries  at  your  gardayne  in  Holberne,  I  require  you 
let  us  have  a  messe  of  them."  He  who  has  raised  fine  fruit  will  know  how 
eagerly  the  flattered  bishop  obeyed.  According  to  the  poet,  the  dis- 
sembler also  leaves  the  apartment,  with  his  unscrupulous  ally,  Buckingham. 

"  Where  is  my  lord  protector  ?     I  have  sent 
For  these  strawberries," 

said  the  Bishop  of  Ely,  re-entering. 

Lord  Hastings  looks  around  with  an  air  of  general  congratulation,  and 
remarks : 

"  His  grace  looks  cheerfully  and  smooth  this  morning; 
There  's  some  conceit  or  other  likes  him  well." 


Strawberries — Origin  and  History.  37 

The  serpent  is  hidden,  but  very  near.  A  moment  later,  Gloster  enters, 
black  as  night,  hisses  his  monstrous  charge,  and  before  noon  of  that  same 
day  poor  Hastings  is  a  headless  corpse. 

Far  more  sad  and  pitiful  are  the  scenes  recalled  by  the  words  of  the 
fiendish  lago — type  for  all  time  of  those  who  transmute  love  into 
jealousy : 

"  Tell  me  but  this— 

Have  you  not  sometimes  seen  a  handkerchief, 
Spotted  with  strawberries,  in  your  wife's  hand?" 

" I  gave  her  such  a  one;   't  was  my  first  gift," 

was  the  answer  of  a  man  whom  the  world  will  never  forgive,  in  spite  of  his 
immeasurable  remorse. 

From  the  poet  Spencer  we  learn  that  to  go  a-strawberrying  was  one 
of  the  earliest  pastimes  of  the  English  people.  In  the  "  Faerie  Queen  " 
we  find  these  lines  : 

"  One  day,  as  they  all  three  together  went 

To  the  green  wood  to  gather  strawberries, 
There  chaunst  to  them  a  dangerous  accident." 

Very  old,  too,  is  the  following  nursery  rhyme,  which,  nevertheless, 
suggests  the  true  habitat  of  the  F.  Vesca  species  : 

"  The  man  of  the  wilderness  asked  me, 
How  many  strawberries  grew  in  the  sea ; 
I  answered  him,  as  I  thought  good, 
'As  many  red  herrings  as  grew  in  the  wood.'  " 

The  ambrosial  combination  of  strawberries  and  cream  was  first  named 
by  Sir  Philip  Sidney.  Old  Thomas  Tusser,  of  the  i6th  century,  in  his 
work,  "  Five  Hundred  Points  of  Good  Husbandry  united  to  as  many  of 
Good  Housewifery,"  turns  the  strawberry  question  over  to  his  wife,  and 
doubtless  it  was  in  better  hands  than  his,  if  his  methods  of  culture  were  as 
rude  as  his  poetry  : 

"  Wife,  into  the  garden,  and  set  me  a  plot 
With  strawberry  roots,  of  the  best  to  be  got ; 
Such,  growing  abroad,  among  thorns  in  the  wood, 
Well  chosen  and  picked,  prove  excellent  good." 

Who  "  Dr.  Boteler  "  was,  or  what  he  did,  is  unknown,  but  he  made  a 
sententious  remark  which  led  Izaak  Walton  to  give  him  immortality  in 
his  work,  "  The  Compleat  Angler."  "  Indeed,  my  good  schollar,"  the 
serene  Izaak  writes,  "  we  may  say  of  angling  as  Dr.  Boteler  said  of 


38  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

strawberries,  '  Doubtless  God  could  have  made  a  better  berry,  but  doubt- 
less God  never  did  ;'  and  so,  if  I  might  be  judge,  God  never  did  make  a 
more  calm,  quiet,  innocent  recreation  than  angling."  If  this  was  true  of 
the  wild  Wood  strawberry,  how  much  more  so  of  many  of  our  aromatic 
rubies  of  to-day. 

John  Parkinson,  the  apothecary- gardener  of  London,  whose  quaint 
work  was  published  in  1629,  is  not  so  enthusiastic.  He  says  of  the  wild 
strawberry :  "  It  may  be  eaten  or  chewed  in  the  mouth  without  any  man- 
ner of  offense  ;  it  is  no  great  bearer,  but  those  it  doth  beare  are  set  at  the 
toppes  of  the  stalks,  close  together,  pleasant  to  behold,  and  fit  for  a  Gen- 
tlewoman to  wear  on  her  arme,  &c.,  as  a  raritie  instead  of  a  flower." 

In  England,  the  strawberry  leaf  is  part  of  the  insignia  of  high  rank, 
since  it  appears  in  the  coronets  of  a  duke,  marquis  and  earl.  "  He 
aspires  to  the  strawberry^leaves  "  is  a  well-known  phrase  abroad,  and  the 
idea  occurs  several  times  in  the  novels  of  Disraeli,  the  present  British 
Premier.  Thackeray,  in  his  "  Book  of  Snobs,"  writes :  "  The  strawberry 
leaves  on  her  chariot  panels  are  engraved  on  her  ladyship's  heart." 

After  all,  perhaps  it  is  not  strange  that  the  Alpine  species  should  be 
allied  to  some  dark  memories,  for  it  was  the  only  kind  known  when  the 
age  was  darkened  by  passion  and  crime. 

The  one  other  allusion  to  the  strawberry  in  Shakspeare  is  peculiarly 
appropriate  to  the  species  under  consideration.  In  the  play  of  Henry  V., 
an  earlier  Bishop  of  Ely  says  : 

"  The  strawberry  grows  underneath  the  nettle, 
And  wholesome  berries  thrive  and  ripen  best 
Neighbored  by  fruit  of  baser  quality." 

And  this,  probably,  is  still  true,  for  the  Alpine  and  Wood  strawberries 
tend  to  reproduce  themselves  with  such  unvarying  exactness  that  cultiva- 
tion makes  but  little  difference. 

All  these  allusions  apply  to  the  F.  Vesca  or  Alpine  species,  arid 
little  advance  was  made  in  strawberry  culture  in  Europe  until  after  the 
introduction  of  other  species  more  capable  of  variation  and  improvement. 
Still,  attempts  were  made  from  time  to  time.  As  the  Alpine  differed 
somewhat  from  the  Wood  strawberry,  they  were  brought  to  England 
about  200  years  later  than  the  tragedy  of  Lord  Hastings'  death,  which  has 
been  referred  to. 

In  connection  with  the  White  and  Red  Wood  and  Alpine  straw- 
berries, we  find  in  1623  the  name  of  the  HAUTBOIS  or  Haarbeer  straw- 
berry, the  Fragaria  elatior  of  the  botanists.  This  second  species,  a  native 


Strawberries — Origin  and  History. 


39 


Hautbois  or  Haarbeer  Strawberry  (Fragaria  Rlatior). 


of  Germany,  resembles  the  Alpine  in  some  respects,  but  is  a  larger  and 
stockier  plant.  Like  the  fragaria  vesca,  its  fruit- stalks  are  erect  and 
longer  than  the  leaves,  but  the*  latter  are  larger  than  the  foliage  of  the 
Alpine,  and  are  covered  with  short 
hairs,  both  on  the  upper  and 
under  surface,  which  give  them  a 
rough  appearance.  As  far  as  I 
can  learn,  this  species  still  further 
resembled  the  Alpines  in  pos- 
sessing little  capability  of  im- 
provement and  variation.  Even 
at  this  late  day  the  various  named 
kinds  are  said  to  differ  from  each 
other  but  slightly.  There  is  a 
very  marked  contrast,  however, 
between  the  fruit  of  the  Hautbois  and  Alpine  species,  for  the  former  has  a 
peculiar  musky  flavor  which  has  never  found  much  favor  in  this  country. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  comparatively  "rare,  fruit  in  our  gardens,  nor  do  we  find 
much  said  of  it  in  the  past. 

There  is  scarcely  any  record  of  progress  until  after  the  introduction  of 
the  two  great  American  species.  It  is  true  that  in  1660  a  fruit  grower  at 
Montreuil,  France,  is  "  said  to  have  produced  a  new  variety  from  the 
seed  of  the  Wood  strawberry,"  which  was  called  "the  Cappron,"  and 
afterward  the  "Fressant."  It  was  named  as  a  distinct  variety  100  years 
later,  but  it  may  be  doubted  whether  it  differed  greatly  from  its  parent. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  said  to  be  the  first  improved  variety  of  which 
there  is  any  record. 

Early  in  the   i/th  century,  intercourse  with  this  continent  led  to  the 

introduction  of  the  most  valuable 
species  in  existence,  the  VlRGIN- 
IAN  strawberry  (Fragaria  Virgin- 
iana),  which  grows  wild  from  the 
Arctic  regions  to  Florida,  and 
westward  to  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains. It  is  first  named  in  the 
catalogue  of  Jean  Robin,  botanist 
to  Louis  XIIL,  in  1624.  During 
the  first  century  of  its  career  in 
England,  it  was  not  appreciated, 

Common  Wild  Strawberry  (Fra^-ia  Virginian* ).         but    as    its    wonderful    Capacity     for 


4O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

variation  and  improvement — in  which  it  formed  so  marked  a  contrast  to 
the  Wood  strawberry — was  discovered,  it  began  to  receive  the  attention  it 
deserved.  English  gardeners  learned  the*  fact,  of  which  we  are  making  so 
much  to-day,  that  by  simply  sowing  its  seeds,  new  and  possibly  better 
varieties  could  be  produced.  From  that  time  and  forward,  the  tendency 
has  increased  to  originate,  name  and  send  out  innumerable  seedlings,  the 
majority  of  which  soon  pass  into  oblivion,  while  a  few  survive  and  become 
popular,  usually  in  proportion  to  their  merit. 

The  Fragaria  Virginiana,  therefore,  the  common  wild  strawberry  that 
is  found  in  all  parts  of  North  America  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  the 
parent  of  nine-tenths  of  the  varieties  grown  in  our  gardens;  and  its 
improved  descendants  furnish  nearly  all  of  the  strawberries  of  our  markets. 
As  we  have  seen,  the  Fragaria  Vesca,  or  the  Alpine  species  of  Europe,  is 
substantially  the  same  to-day  as  it  was  a  thousand  years  ago.  But  the 
capacity  of  the  Virginian  strawberry  for  change  and  improvement  is  shown 
by  those  great  landmarks  in  the  American  culture  of  this  fruit — the  pro- 
duction of  Hovey's  Seedling  by  C.  M.  Hovey,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  forty- 
five  years  since  ;  of  the  Wilson's  Albany  Seedling,  originated  by  John  Wil- 
son, of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  about  twenty-five  years  ago,  and,  in  our  own  time, 
of  the  superb  varieties,  Monarch  of  the  West,  Seth  Boyden,  Charles 
Downing,  and  Sharpless. 

As  in  the  Alpine  species  there  are  two  distinct  strains, — the  Alpine  of 
the  Continent,  and  the  Wood  strawberry  of  England, — so  in  the  wild  Vir- 
ginian species  there  are  two  branches  of  the  family, — the  Eastern  and 
the  Western.  The  differences  are  so  marked  that  some  writers  have 
asserted  that  there  are  two  species ;  but  we  have  the  authority  of  Prof. 
Gray  for  saying  that  the  Western,  or  Fragaria  Illincensis,  is  "perhaps"  a 
distinct  species,  and  he  classifies  it  as  only  a  very  marked  variety. 

There  are  but  two  more  species  of  the  strawberry  genus.  Of  the  first 
of  these,  the  Fragaria  Indica,  or  Indian  strawberry,  there  is  little  to  say. 
It  is  a  native  of  Northern  India,  and  differs  so  much  from  the  other  species 
that  it  was  formerly  named  as  a  distinct  genus.  It  has  yellow  flowers,  and 
is  a  showy  house-plant,  especially  for  window-baskets,  but  the  fruit  is  dry 
and  tasteless.  It  is  said  by  Prof.  Gray  to  have  escaped  cultivation  and 
become  wild  in  some  localities  of  this  country. 

Fragaria  Chilensis  is  the  last  great  species  or  subdivision  that  we  now 
have  to  consider.  Like  the  F.  Virginiana,  it  is  a  native  of  the  American 
continent,  and  yet  we  have  learned  to  associate  it  almost  wholly  with 
Europe.  It  grows  wild  on  the  Pacific  slope,  from  Oregon  to  Chili,  creep- 
ing higher  and  higher  up  the  mountains  as  its  habitat  approaches  the 


Strawberries  —  Origin  and  History 


to 


Indian  Strawberry  (Fragaria  Indica). 

?equator.  "  It  is  a  large,  robust  species, 
with  very  firm,  thick  leaflets,  soft  and 
silky  on  the  under  side."  The  flowers  are 
larger  than  in  the  other  species  ;  the  fruit,  also,  in 
its  native  condition,  averages  much  larger,  stands 
erect  instead  of  hanging,  ripens  late,  is  rose- 
colored,  firm  and  sweet  in  flesh,  and  does  not 
require  as  much  heat  to  develop  its  saccharine 
constituents ;  but  it  lacks  the  peculiar  sprightliness  and  aroma 
of  the  Virginia  strawberry.  It  has  become,  however,  the  favorite  stock  of 
the  European  gardeners,  and  seems  better  adapted  to  transatlantic 
climate  and  soil  than  to  ours.  The  first  mention  of  the  Fragaria  Ckilensis, 
or  South  American  strawberry,  says  Mr.  Fuller,  "  is  by  M.  Frezier,  who, 
in  1716,  in  his  journey  to  the  South  Sea,  found  it  at  the  foot  of  the 
Cordillera  mountains  near  Quito,  and  carried  it  home  to  Marseilles, 
France."  At  that  time  it  was  called  the  Chili  strawberry,  and  the 
Spaniards  said  that  they  brought  it  from  Mexico. 

From  Mr.  W.  Collett  Sandars,  an  English  antiquarian,  I  learn  that  seven 
plants  were  shipped  from  Chili  and  were  kept  alive  during  the  voyage  by 
water  which  M.  Frezier  saved 
from  his  allowance,  much  limited 
owing  to  a  shortness  of  supply. 
He  gave  two  of  the  plants  to  M. 
de  Jessieu,  "  who  cultivated  them 
with  fair  success  in  the  royal  gar- 
dens." In  1727,  the  Chili  straw- 
berry was  introduced  to  England, 
but  not  being  understood,  it  did 
not  win  much  favor. 

Mr.  Fuller  further  states  :  "We 


Fragaria  Chilensis. 


do  not  learn  from  any  of  the  old  French  works  that  new  varieties  were 
raised  from  the  Chili  strawberry  for  at  least  fifty  years  after  its  introduc- 
6 


42  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

tion.  Duchesne,  in  1766,  says  that  "Miller  considered  its  cultivation 
abandoned  in  England  on  account  of.  its  sterility.  The  importations  from 
other  portions  of  South  America  appear  to  have  met  with  better  success ; 
and,  early  in  the  present  century,  new  varieties  of  the  F.  Chilensis,  as 
well  as  of  the  Virginiana,  became  quite  abundant  in  England  and  on  the 
Continent" 

If  we  may  judge  from  the  characteristics  of  the  varieties  imported  to 
this  country  of  late  years,  the  South  American  species  has  taken  the  lead 
decidedly  abroad,  and  has  become  the  parent  stock  from  which  foreign  cult- 
urists,  in  the  main,  are  seeking  to  develop  the  ideal  strawberry.  But  in  all 
its  transformations,  and  after  all  the  attempts  to  infuse  into  it  the  sturdier 
life  of  the  Virginian  strawberry,  it  still  remembers  its  birthplace  ;  and 
falters  and  often  dies  in  the  severe  cold  of  our  winters,  or,  what  is  still 
worse,  the  heat  and  drouth  of  our  summers.  As  a  species,  it  requires  the 
high  and  careful  culture  that  they  are  able  and  willing  to  give  it  in  Europe. 
The  majority  of  imported  varieties  have  failed  in  the  United  States,  but  a 
few  have  become  justly  popular  in  regions  where  they  can  be  grown.  The 
Triomphe  de  Gand  may  be  given  as  an  example,  and  were  I  restricted  to 
one  variety  I  should  take  this.  The  Jucunda,  also,  is  one  of  the  most 
superb  berries  in  existence ;  and  can  be  grown  with  great  profit  in  many 
localities. 

Thus  the  two  great  species  which  .to-day  are  furnishing  ninety-nine- 
hundredths  of  the  strawberries  of  commerce  and  of  the  garden,  both  in 
this  country  and  abroad,  came  from  America,  the  Fragaria  Chilensis 
reaching  our  Eastern  States  by  the  way  of  Europe,  and  in  the  form  of 
the  improved  and  cultivated  varieties  that  have  won  a  name  abroad. 
We  are  crossing  the  importations  with  our  own  native  stock.  President 
Wilder's  superb  seedling,  which  has  received  his  name,  is  an  example  of  this 
blending  process.  This  berry  is  a  child  of  the  La  Constante  and  Hovey's 
Seedling,  and,  therefore,  in  this  one  beautiful  and  most  delicious  variety 
we  have  united  the  characteristics  of  the  two  chief  strawberry  species 
of  the  world,  the  F.  Virginiana  and  F.  Chilensis. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  great  law  of  race  extends  even  to  strawberry 
plants.  As  in  the  most  refined  and  cultivated  peoples  there  is  a  strain  of 
the  old  native  stock,  which  ever  remains  a  source  of  weakness  or  strength, 
and  will  surely  show  itself  in  certain  emergencies,  so  the  superb  new 
varieties  of  strawberries,  the  latest  products  of  horticultural  skill,  speedily 
indicate  in  the  rough-and-tumble  of  ordinary  culture  whether  they  have 
derived  their  life  from  the  hardy  F.  Virginiana  or  the  tender  and  fas- 
tidious F.  Chilensis.  The  Monarch  of  the  West  and  the  Jucunda  are  the 


Strawberries — Origin  and  History.  43 

patricians  of  the  garden,  and  on  the  heavy  portions  of  my  land  at  Corn- 
wall I  can  scarcely  say  to  which  I  give  the  preference.  But  the  Monarch 
is  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  Jucunda  is  of  a  Latin  race ;  or  to  drop  meta- 
phor, the  former  comes  of  a  species  that  can  adapt  itself  to  conditions 
extremely  varied,  and  even  very  unfavorable,  and  the  latter  cannot. 


CHAPTER  V. 


IDEAL    STRAWBERRIES   VERSUS   THOSE   OF   THE    FIELD    AND   MARKET. 


are  certain  strong,  coarse-feeding  vegetables,  like  corn  and 
-L  potatoes,  that  can  be  grown  on  the  half-subdued  and  comparatively 
poor  soil  of  the  field ;  but  no  gardener  would  think  of  planting  the  finer 
and  more  delicate  sorts  in  such  situations.  There  are  but  few  who  do 
not  know  that  they  can  raise  cauliflowers  and  egg-plants  only  on  deep, 
rich  land.  The  parallel  holds  good  with  this  fruit.  There  are  straw- 
berries that  will  grow  almost  anywhere,  and  under  any  circumstances, 
and  there  is  another  class  that  demands  the  best  ground  and  culture ; 
but  from  the  soil  of  a  good  garden,  with  a  little  pains,  we  can  obtain 
the  finest  fruit  in  existence,  and  there  is  no  occasion  to  plant  those 
kinds  which  are  grown  for  market  solely  because  they  are  productive, 
and  hard  enough  to  endure  carriage  for  a  long  distance.  The  only 
transportation  to  be  considered  is  from  the  garden  to  the  table,  and  there- 
fore we  can  make  table  qualities  our  chief  concern.  If  our  soil  is  light 
and  sandy,  we  can  raise  successfully  one  class  of  choice,  high-flavored 
varieties ;  if  heavy,  another  class.  Many  worry  over  a  forlorn,  weedy 
bed  of  some  inferior  variety  that  scarcely  gives  a  week's  supply,  when, 
with  no  more  trouble  than  is  required  to  obtain  a  crop  of  celery,  large 
delicious  berries  might  be  enjoyed  daily,  for  six  weeks  together,  from 
twenty  different  kinds. 

The  strawberry  of  commerce  is  a  much  more  difficult  problem.     The 
present  unsatisfactory  condition  of  affairs  was  admirably  expressed  in  the 


Ideal  and  Market  Strawberries.  45 

following  editorial  in  the  Evening  Post,  the  I2th  June,  1876,  from  the  pen 
of  the  late  William  Cullen  Bryant: 

STRAWBERRIES. 

"  In  general,  an  improvement  has  been  observed  of  late  in  the  quality  of  fruit. 
We  have  more  and  finer  varieties  of  the  apple ;  the  pear  is  much  better  in  general 
than  it  was  ten  years  since;  of  the  grape  there  are  many  new  and  excellent 
varieties  which  the  market  knew  nothing  of  a  few  years  ago,  and  there  are  some 
excellent  varieties  of  the  raspberry  lately  introduced.  But  the  strawberry  has 
decidedly  deteriorated,  and  the  result  is  owing  to  the  general  culture  of  Wilson's 
Albany  for  the  market.  Wilson's  Albany  is  a  sour,  crude  berry,  which  is  not  fully 
ripe  when  it  is  perfectly  red,  and  even  when  perfectly  ripe  is  still  too  acid.  t  When 
it  first  makes  its  appearance  in  the  market,  it  has  an  exceedingly  harsh  flavor  and 
very  little  of  the  agreeable  aroma  which  distinguishes  the  finer  kinds  of  the  berry. 
If  not  eaten  very  sparingly,  it  disagrees  with  the  stomach,  and  you  wake  with  a 
colic  the  next  morning.  Before  Wilson's  strawberry  came  into  vogue,  there  were 
many  other  kinds  which  were  sweeter  and  of  a  more  agreeable  flavor.  But  the 
Wilson  is  a  hard  berry,  which  bears  transportation  well;  it  is  exceedingly  prolific 
and  altogether  hardy — qualities  which  give  it  great  favor  with  the  cultivator,  but 
for  which  the  consumer  suffers.  The  proper  way  of  dealing  in  strawberries  is  to 
fix  the  prices  according  to  the  quality  of  the  sort.  This  is  the  way  they  do  in  the 
markets  of  Paris.  A  poor  sort,  although  the  berry  may  be  large,  is  sold  cheap ; 
the  more  delicate  kinds — the  sweet,  juicy  and  high-flavored — are  disposed  of  at 
a  higher  price.  Here  the  Wilson  should  be  sold  the  cheapest  of  all,  while  such 
as  the  Jucunda  and  the  President  Wilder  should  bear  a  price  corresponding  to 
their  excellence.  We  hope,  for  our  part,  that  the  Wilsons  will,  as  soon  as  their 
place  can  be  supplied  by  a  better  berry,  be  banished  from  the  market.  It  can 
surely  be  no  difficult  thing  to  obtain  a  sort  by  crossing,  which  shall  bear  transpor- 
tation equally  well,  and  shall  not  deceive  the  purchaser  with  the  appearance  of 
ripeness." 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  Mr.  Bryant  has  portrayed  both  the  evil 
and  the  remedy.  The  public  justly  complains  of  the  strawberry  of 
commerce,  but  it  has  not  followed  the  suggestion  in  the  editorial  and 
demanded  a  better  article,  even  though  it  must  be  furnished  at  a  higher 
price. 

In  spite,  however,  of  all  that  is  said  and  written  annually  against  the 
Wilson,  it  still  maintains  its  supremacy  as  the  market  berry.  Those  who 
reside  near  the  city  and  can  make,  to  some  extent,  special  arrangements 
with  enlightened  customers,  find  other  varieties  more  profitable,  even 
though  the  yield  from  them  is  less,  and  some  are  lost  from  lack  of 
keeping  qualities.  But  those  who  send  from  a  considerable  distance,  and 
must  take  their  chances  in  the  general  market,  persist  in  raising  the 
"  sour,  crude  berry,"  which  is  red  before  it  is  ripe,  and  hard  enough  to 


46  Success  ivit/i  Small  Fruits. 

stand  the  rough  usage  which  it  is  almost  certain  to  receive  from  the  hands 
through  which  it  passes.  I  do  not  expect  to  see  the  day  when  the 
Wilson,  or  some  berry  like  it,  is  not  the  staple  supply  of  the  market; 
although  I  hope  and  think  it  will  be  improved  upon.  But  let  it  be 
understood  generally  that  they  are  Wilsons  —  the  cheap  vin  ordinaire  of 
strawberries.  Cities  will  ever  be  flooded  with  varieties  that  anybody  can 
grow  under  almost  any  kind  of  culture  ;  and  no  doubt  it  is  better  that 
there  should  be  an  abundance  of  such  fruit  rather  than  none  at  all.  But 
a  delicately  organized  man,  like  Mr.  Bryant,  cannot  eat  them ;  and  those 
who  have  enjoyed  the  genuine  strawberries  of  the  garden  will  not.  The 
number  of  people,  however,  with  the  digestion  of  an  ostrich,  is  enormous, 
and  in  multitudes  of  homes  Wilsons,  even  when  half-ripe,  musty  and 
stale,  are  devoured  with  unalloyed  delight,  under  the  illusion  that  they 
are  strawberries. 

If  genuine  strawberries  are  wanted,  the  purchaser  must  demand  them, 
pay  for  them,  and  refuse  "sour,  crude  berries."  The  remedy  is  solely  in 
the  hands  of  the  consumers.  If  people  would  pay  no  more  for  Seckel 
than  for  Choke  pears,  Choke  pears  would  be  the  only  ones  in  market,  for 
they  can  be  furnished  with  the  least  cost  and  trouble.  It  is  the  lack  of 
discrimination  that  leaves  our  markets  so  bare  of  fine-flavored  fruit. 
What  the  grower  and  the  grocer  are  seeking  is  a  hard  berry,  which,  if  not 
sold  speedily,  will  "  keep  over."  Let  citizens  clearly  recognize  the  truth 
— that  there  are  superb,  delicious  berries,  like  the  Triomphe,  Monarch, 
Charles  Downing,  Boyden,  and  many  others,  and  insist  on  being  supplied 
with  them,  just  as  they  insist  on  good  butter  and  good  meats,  and  the 
problem  is  solved.  The  demand  will  create  the  supply ;  the  fruit 
merchant  will  write  to  his  country  correspondents :  "  You  must  send 
fine-flavored  berries.  My  trade  will  not  take  any  others,  and  I  can  return 
you  more  money  for  half  the  quantity  of  fruit  if  it  is  good."  The  most 
stolid  of  growers  would  soon  take  such  a  hint.  Moreover,  let  the  patrons 
of  high-priced  hotels  and  restaurants  indignantly  order  away  "  sour,  crude 
berries,"  as  they  would  any  other  inferior  viand,  and  caterers  would  then 
cease  to  palm  off  Wilsons  for  first-class  strawberries.  If  these  suggestions 
were  carried  out  generally,  the  character  of  the  New- York  strawberry 
market  would  speedily  be  changed.  It  is  my  impression  that,  within  a 
few  years,  only  those  who  are  able  to  raise  large,  fine-flavored  fruit  will 
secure  very  profitable  returns.  Moreover,  we  are  in  a  transition  state  in 
respect  to  varieties,  and  there  are  scores  of  new  kinds  just  coming  before 
the  public,  of  which  wonderful  things  are  claimed.  I  shall  test  nearly  a 
hundred  of  these  during  the  coming  season,  but  am  satisfied  in  advance 


lacal  and  Market  Strawberries. 


47 


that  nine-tenths  of  them  will  be  discarded  within  a  brief  period.  Indeed, 
I  doubt  whether  the  ideal  strawberry,  that  shall  concentrate  every  excel- 
lence within  its  one  juicy  sphere,  ever  will  be  discovered  or  originated. 
We  shall  always  have  to  make  a  choice,  as  we  do  in  friends,  for  their 
several  good  qualities  and  their  power  to  please  our  individual  tastes. 


The  Strawberry  of  Memory. 

There  is,  however,  one  perfect  strawberry  in  existence, — the  straw- 
berry of  memory, — the  little  wildlings  that  we  gathered,  perhaps,  with 
those  over  whom  the  wild  strawberry  is  now  growing.  We  will  admit  no 
fault  in  it,  and,  although  we  may  no  longer  seek  for  this  favorite  fruit  of 
our  childhood,  with  the  finest  specimens  of  the  garden  before  us  we  sigh 
for  those  berries  that  grew  on  some  far-off  hill- side  in  years  still  farther 
away. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


CHOICE   OF   SOIL   AND    LOCATION. 


THE  choice  that  Tobias  Hobson  imposed  on  his  patrons  when  he 
compelled  them  to  take  "  the  horse  nearest  to  the  stable-door"  or 
none  at  all,  is  one  that,  in  principle,  we  often  have  to  make  in  selecting 
our  strawberry-ground.  We  must  use  such  as  we  have,  or  raise  no 
berries.  And  yet  it  has  been  said  that  "  with  no  other  fruit  do  soil  and 
locality  make  so  great  differences."  While  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  this 
is  truer  of  the  raspberry,  it  is  also  thoroughly  established  that  location  and 
the  native  qualities  of  the  soil  are  among  the  first  and  chief  considerations 
in  working  out  the  problem  of  success  with  strawberries. 

Especially  should  such  forethought  be  given  in  selecting  a  soil  suited 
to  the  varieties  we  wish  to  raise.  Dr.  Thurber,  editor  American  Agri- 
culturist, states  this  truth  emphatically.  In  August,  1875,  he  wrote: 
"  All  talk  about  strawberries  must  be  with  reference  to  particular  soils. 
As  an  illustration  of  this,  there  were  exhibited  in  our  office  windows 
several  successive  lots  of  the  '  Monarch  of  the  West,'  which  were  immense 
as  to  size  and  wonderful  as  to  productiveness.  This  same  '  Monarch ' 
behaved  in  so  unkingly  a  manner  on  our  grounds  (very  light  and  sandy 
in  their  nature)  that  he  would  have  been  deposed  had  we  not  seen  these 
berries,  for  it  was  quite  inferior  to  either  '  Charles  Downing,'  '  Seth 
Boyden,'  or  '  Kentucky.'" 

It  is  a  generally  admitted  fact  that  the  very  best  soil,  and  the  one 
adapted  to  the  largest  number  of  varieties,  is  a  deep  sandy  loam,  moist, 


Strawberries — Soil —  Location.  49 

but  not  wet,  in  its  natural  state.  All  the  kinds  with  which  I  am  acquainted 
will  do  well  on  such  land  if  it  is  properly  deepened  and  enriched.  There- 
fore, we  should  select  such  ground  if  we  have  it  on  our  places,  and  those 
proposing  to  buy  land  with  a  view  to  this  industry  would  do  well  to  secure 
from  the  start  one  of  the  best  conditions  of  success. 

It  is  of  vital  importance  that  our  strawberry  fields  be  near  good  ship- 
ping facilities,  and  that  there  be  sufficient  population  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  to  furnish  pickers  in  abundance.  It  will  be  far  better  to  pay  a 
much  higher  price  for  land — even  inferior  land — near  a  village  and  a  rail- 
road depot,  than  to  attempt  to  grow  these  perishable  fruits  in  regions  too 
remote.  A  water  communication  with  market  is,  of  course,  preferable  to 
any  other.  Having  considered  the  question  of  harvesting  and  shipping  to 
market,  then  obtain  the  moist,  loamy  land  described  above,  if  possible. 

Such  ground  will  make  just  as  generous  and  satisfactory  returns  in  the 
home  garden,  and  by  developing  its  best  capabilities  the  amateur  can 
attain  results  that  will  delight  his  heart  and  amaze  his  neighbors. 

Shall  the  fact  that  we  have  no  such  soil,  and  cannot  obtain  it,  dis- 
courage us  ?  Not  at  all !  There  are  choice  varieties  that  will  grow  in  the 
extremes  of  sand  or  clay.  More  effort  will  be  required,  but  skill  and 
information  can  still  secure  success ;  and  advantages  of  location,  climate, 
and  nearness  to  good  markets  may  more  than  counterbalance  natural 
deficiencies  in  the  land.  Besides,  there  is  almost  as  solid  a  satisfaction  in 
transforming  a  bit  of  the  wilderness  into  a  garden  as  in  reforming  and 
educating  a  crude  or  evil  specimen  of  humanity.  Therefore,  if  one  finds 
himself  in  an  unfavorable  climate,  and  shut  up  to  the  choice  of  land  the 
reverse  of  a  deep,  moist,  sandy  loam,  let  him  pit  his  brain  and  muscle 
against  all  obstacles. 

If  the  question  were  asked,  Is  there  anything  that  comes  from  the 
garden  better  liked  than  a  dish  of  strawberries?  in  nine  instances  out  of 
ten  the  answer  would  be,  "  nothing,"  even  though  sour  Wilsons  were 
grown ;  and  yet,  too  often  the  bed  is  in  a  neglected  corner  and  half 
shaded  by  trees,  while  strong-growing  vegetables  occupy  the  moist, 
open  spaces.  It  is  hardly  rational  to  put  the  favorite  of  the  garden 
where,  at  best,  a  partial  failure  is  certain.  Let  it  be  well  understood 
that  strawberries  cannot  be  made  to  do  well  on  ground  exhausted  by 
the  roots  and  covered  by  the  shade  of  trees. 

On  many  farms  and  even  in  some  gardens  there  are  several  varieties 
of  soil.  Within  the  area  of  an  acre  I  have  a  sandy  loam,  a  gravelly  hill- 
side, low,  black,  alluvial  land,  and  a  very  stiff,  cold,  wet  clay.  Such 
diversity  does  not  often  occur  within  so  limited  a  space,  but  on  multi- 
7 


50  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

tudes  of  places  corresponding  differences  exist.  In  such  instances, 
conditions  suited  to  every  variety  can  be  found,  and  reading  and 
experience  will  teach  the  cultivator  to  locate  his  several  kinds  just 
where  they  will  give  the  best  results.  Moreover,  by  placing  early  kinds 
on  warm,  sunny  slopes,  and  giving  late  varieties  moist,  heavy  land  and 
cool,  northern  exposures,  the  season  of  this  delicious  fruit  can  be  pro- 
longed greatly.  The  advantage  of  a  long-continued  supply  for  the 
family  is  obvious,  but  it  is  often  even  more  important  to  those  whose 
income  is  dependent  on  this  industry.  It  frequently  occurs  that  the 
market  is  "glutted"  with  berries  for  a  brief  time  in  the  height  of 
the  season.  If  the  crop  matures  in  the  main  at  such  a  time,  the  one 
chance  of  the  year  passes,  leaving  but  a  small  margin  of  profit ;  whereas,, 
if  the  grower  had  prolonged  his  season,  by  a  careful  selection  of  soils 
as  well  as  of  varieties,  he  might  sell  a  large  portion  of  his  fruit  when  it 
was  scarce  and  high. 

Climate  also  is  a  very  important  consideration,  and  enters  largely 
into  the  problem  of  success  from  Maine  to  Southern  California.  Each 
region  has  its  advantages  and  disadvantages,  and  these  should  be  esti- 
mated before  the  purchaser  takes  the  final  steps  which  commit  him  to 
a  locality  and  methods  of  culture  which  may  not  prove  to  his  taste. 
In  the  far  North,  sheltered  situations  and  light,  warm  land  should  be 
chosen  for  the  main  crop ;  but  in  our  latitude,  and  southward,  it  should 
always  be  our  aim  to  avoid  that  hardness  and  dryness  of  soil  that  cut 
short  the  crops  and  hopes  of  so  many  cultivators. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


PREPARING  AND   ENRICHING   THE   SOIL. 


HAVING  from  choice  or  necessity  decided  on  the  ground  on  which 
our  future  strawberries  are  to  grow,  the  next  step  is  to  prepare 
the  soil.  The  first  and  most  natural  question  will  be,  What  is  the 
chief  need  of  this  plant  ?  Many  prepare  their  ground  in  a  vague, 
indefinite  way.  Let  us  prepare  for  strawberries. 

Whether  it  grows  North  or  South,  East  or  West,  the  strawberry 
plant  is  the  same,  and  has  certain  constitutional  traits  and  requirements, 
which  should  be  thoroughly  fixed  in  our  minds.  Modifications  of  treat- 
ment made  necessary  by  various  soils  and  climates  are  then  not  only 
•easily  learned  but  also  easily  understood. 

When  asked,  on  one  occasion,  what  was  the  chief  requirement  in 
successful  strawberry  culture,  Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder  replied  substan- 
tially in  the  following  piquant  manner : 

"  In  the  first  place,  the  strawberry's  chief  need  is  a  great  deal  of 
water." 

"  In  the  second  place,  it  needs  more  water.'* 

"In  the  third  place,  I  think  I  would  give  it  a  great  deal  more 
water." 

The  more  extended  and  full  my  experience  becomes,  the  less  exag- 
geration I  find  in  his  words.  The  following  strong  confirmation  of 
President  Wilder's  opinion  may  be  found  in  Thompson's  Gardener's 
Assistant,  a  standard  English  work : 

51 


52  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

"  Ground  that  is  apt  to  get  very  dry  from  the  effects  of  only  ten  days'  or 
a  fortnight's  drought  is  not  suitable,  on  account  of  the  enormous  quantity  of  water 
that  will  be  necessary ;  and  if  once  the  plants  begin  to  flag  for  want  of  moisture, 
the  crop  is  all  but  lost.  A  soil  that  is  naturally  somewhat  moist,  but  not  too  wet, 
answers  well ;  and  where  the  land  has  admitted  of  irrigation,  we  have  seen  heavy 
crops  produced  every  year." 

If  this  be  true  in  England,  with  its  humid  climate,  how  much  more 
emphatically  should  we  state  the  importance  of  this  requirement  in  our 
land  of  long  droughts  and  scorching  suns. 

Moisture,  then,  is  the  strawberry's  first  and  chief  need.  Without  it, 
the  best  fertilizers  become  injurious  rather  than  helpful.  Therefore, 
in  the  preparation  of  the  soil  and  its  subsequent  cultivation,  there  should 
be  a  constant  effort  to  secure  and  maintain  moisture,  and  the  failure  to 
do  this  is  the  chief  cause  of  meager  crops.  And  yet,  very  probably,  the 
first  step  absolutely  necessary  to  accomplish  this  will  be  a  thorough 
system  of  underdrainage.  I  have  spent  hundreds  of  dollars  in  such  labors, 
and  it  was  as  truly  my  object  to  enable  the  ground  to  endure  drought 
as  to  escape  undue  wetness.  Let  it  be  understood  that  it  is  moist  and 
not  wet  land  that  the  strawberry  requires.  If  water  stands  or  stagnates 
upon  or  a  little  below  the  surface,  the  soil  becomes  sour,  heavy,  lifeless ; 
and,  if  clay  is  present,  it  will  bake  like  pottery  in  dry  weather  and  suggest 
the  Slough  of  Despond  in  wet.  Disappointment,  failure  and  miasma  are 
the  certain  products  of  such  unregenerate  regions,  but,  as  is  often  the  case 
with  repressed  and  troublesome  people,  the  evil  traits  of  such  soils  result 
from  a  lack  of  balance,  and  a  perversion  of  what  is  good. 

The  underdrain  restores  the  proper  equilibrium ;  the  brush-hook  and 
axe  cut  away  the  rank  unwholesome  growth  which  thrives  best  in  abnor- 
mal conditions.  Sun,  air  and  purifying  frosts  mellow  and  sweeten  the 
damp,  heavy,  malarious  ground,  as  the  plowshare  lift's  it  out  of  its  low 
estate.  A  swamp,  or  any  approach  to  one,  is  like  a  New  York  tenement 
house  district,  and  requires  analogous  treatment. 

If,  however,  we  have  mellow  upland  with  natural  drainage,  let  us  first 
put  that  in  order  that  we  may  have  a  remunerative  crop  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. In  suggesting,  therefore,  the  best  methods  of  preparing  and  enriching 
the  ground,  I  will  begin  by  considering  soils  that  are  already  in  the  most 
favorable  conditions,  and  that  require  the  least  labor  and  outlay.  Man 
received  his  most  essential  agricultural  instruction  in  the  opening  chapter 
of  Genesis,  wherein  he  is  commanded  to  "  subdue  the  earth."  Even  the 
mellow  Western  prairie  is  at  first  a  wild,  untamed  thing  that  must  be 
subdued.  This  is  often  a  simple  process,  and  in  our  gardens  and  the 


Preparing  and  Enriching  the  Soil.  53 

greater  part  of  many  farms  has  already  been  practically  accomplished. 
Where  the  deep,  moist  loam,  just  described,  exists,  the  fortunate  owner 
has  only  to  turn  it  up  to  the  sun  and  give  it  a  year  of  ordinary  cultivation, 
taking  from  it,  in  the  process,  some  profitable  hoed  crop,  that  will  effect- 
ually kill  the  grass,  and  his  land  is  ready  for  strawberries.  If  his  ground 
is  in  condition  to  give  a  good  crop  of  corn,  it  will  also  give  a  fair  crop 
of  berries.  If  the  garden  is  so  far  "subdued"  as  to  yield  kitchen 
vegetables,  the  strawberry  may  be  planted  at  once,  with  the  prospect  of 
excellent  returns,  unless  proper  culture  is  neglected. 

Should  the  reader  be  content  with  mediocrity,  there  is  scarcely  any- 
thing to  be  said  where  the  conditions  are  so  favorable.  But  suppose  one  is 
not  content  with  mediocrity.  Then  this  highly  favored  soil  is  but  the  vant- 
age-ground from  which  skill  enters  on  a  course  of  thorough  preparation  and 
high  culture.  A  man  may  plow,  harrow  and  set  with  strawberries  the 
land  that  was  planted  the  previous  year  in  corn,  and  probably  secure  a 
remunerative  return,  with  little  more  trouble  or  cost  than  was  expended  on 
the  corn.  Or,  he  may  select  half  the  area  that  was  in  corn,  plow  it  deeply 
in  October,  and  if  he  detects  traces  of  the  white  grub,  cross-plow  it  again 
just  as  the  ground  is  beginning  to  freeze.  Early  in  the  spring  he  can  cover 
the  surface  with  some  fertilizer — there  is  nothing  better  than  a  rotted  com- 
post of  muck  and  barn-yard  manure  —  at  the  proportion  of  forty  or  fifty 
tons  to  the  acre.  Plow  and  cross-plow  again,  and  in  each  instance  let  the  first 
team  be  followed  by  a  subsoil  or  lifting  plow,  which  stirs  and  loosens  the 
substratum  without  bringing  it  to  the  surface.  The  half  of  the  field  pre- 
pared in  such  a  thorough  manner  will  probably  yield  three  times  the 
amount  of  fruit  that  could  be  gathered  from  the  whole  area  under  ordinary 
treatment,  and  if  the  right  varieties  are  grown,  and  a  good  market  is  within 
reach,  the  money  received  will  be  in  a  higher  ratio. 

The  principle  of  generous  and  thorough  preparation  may  be  carried 
still  further  in  the  garden,  and  its  soil,  already  rich  and  mellow,  may  be 
covered  to  the  depth  of  several  inches  with  well- rotted  compost  or  any  form 
of  barn-yard  manure  that  is  not  too  coarse  and  full  of  heat,  and  this  may  be 
incorporated  with  the  earth  by  trenching  to  the  depth  of  two  feet  Of  this 
be  certain :  the  strawberry  roots  will  go  as  deeply  as  the  soil  is  prepared 
and  enriched  for  them,  and  the  results  in  abundant  and  enormous  fruit  will 
be  commensurate.  English  gardeners  advise  trenching  even  to  the  depth 
of  three  feet,  where  the  ground  permits  it. 

Few  soils  can  be  found  so  deep  and  rich  by  nature  that  they  cannot  be 
improved  by  art ;  and  the  question  for  each  to  decide  is,  how  far  the  returns 
will  compensate  for  extra  preparation.  Very  often  land  for  strawberries 


54  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

receives  but  little  more  preparation  than  for  wheat,  and  such  methods 
must  pay  or  they  would  not  be  continued.  Many  who  follow  these 
methods  declare  that  they  are  the  most  profitable  in  the  long  run.  I 
doubt  it. 

If  our  market  is  one  in  which  strawberries  are  sold  simply  as  such, 
without  much  regard  to  flavor  or  size,  there  is  not  the  same  inducement  to 
produce  fine  fruit.  But  even  when  quantity  is  the  chief  object,  deeply 
prepared  and  enriched  land  retains  that  essential  moisture  of  which  we 
have  spoken,  and  enables  the  plant  not  only  to  form,  but  also  to  develop 
and  mature,  a  great  deal  of  fruit.  In  the  majority  of  markets,  however, 
each  year,  size  and  beauty  count  for  more,  and  these  qualities  can  be 
.secured,  even  from  a  favorable  soil,  only  after  thorough  preparation  and 
enriching.  I  find  that  every  writer  of  experience  on  this  subject,  both 
American  and  European,  insists  vigorously  on  the  value  of  such  careful 
pulverization  and  deepening  of  the  soil. 

Having  thus  considered  the  most  favorable  land  in  the  best  condition 
possible,  under  ordinary  cultivation,  I  shall  now  treat  of  that  less  suitable, 
until  we  finally  reach  a  soil  too  sterile  and  hopelessly  bad  to  repay  cultiva- 
tion. 

I  will  speak  first  of  this  same  deep,  moist  loam,  in  its  unsubdued 
condition  ;  that  is,  in  stiff  sod,  trees  or  brush-wood.  Of  course,  the  latter 
must  be  removed,  and,  as  a  rule,  the  crops  on  new  land — which  has 
been  undisturbed  by  the  plow  for  a  number  of  years,  and,  perhaps,  never 
robbed  of  its  original  fertility  —  will  amply  repay  for  the  extra  labor  of 
•clearing.  Especially  will  this  be  the  case  if  the  brush  and  rubbish  are 
burned  evenly  over  the  surface.  The  finest  of  wild  strawberries  are 
found  where  trees  have  been  felled  and  the  brush  burned ;  and  the 
•successful  fruit  grower  is  the  one  who  makes  the  best  use  of  such  hints 
from  nature. 

The  field  would  look  better  and  the  cultivation  be  easier  if  all  the 
stumps  could  be  removed  before  planting,  but  this  might  involve  too 
great  preliminary  expense,  and  I  always  counsel  against  debt  except  in 
the  direst  necessity.  A  little  brush  burned  on  each  stump  will  effectually 
check  new  growth,  and,  in  two  or  three  years,  these  unsightly  objects  will 
be  so  rotten  that  they  can  be  pried  out,  anol  easily  turned  into  ashes,  one 
of  the  best  of  fertilizers.  In  the  meantime,  the  native  strength  of  the 
land  will  cause  a  growth  which  will  compensate  for  the  partial  lack  of 
deep  and  thorough  cultivation  which  the  stumps  and  roots  prevent. 
Those  who  have  traveled  West  and  South  have  seen  fine  crops  of  corn 
growing  among  the  half-burned  stumps,  and  strawberries  will  do  as  well. 


Preparing  and  Enriching  the  Soil.  55 

But  where  trees  or  brush  have  grown  very  thickly,  the  roots  and 
stumps  must  be  eradicated.  The  thick  growth  on  the  sandy  land  of 
Florida  is  grubbed  out  at  the  cost  of  about  $30  per  acre,  and  I  know  of  a 
gentleman  who  pays  at  the  rate  of  $25  per  acre  in  the  vicinity  of  Norfolk, 
Va.  I  doubt  whether  it  can  be  done  for  less  elsewhere. 

In  some  regions  they  employ  a  stump  extractor,  a  rude  but  strong 
machine,  worked  by  blocks  and  pulleys,  with  oxen  as  motor  power.  From 
the  Farmer's  Advocate  of  London,  Ont,  I  learn  that  an  expert  with  one  of 
these  machines,  aided  by  five  men  and  two  yoke  of  oxen,  was  in  the 
habit  of  clearing  fifty  acres  annually. 

I  have  cleaned  hedge-rows  and  stony  spots  on  my  place  in  the  follow- 
ing thorough  manner :  A  man  commences  with  pick  and  shovel  on  one 
side  of  the  land  and  turns  it  steadily  and  completely  over  by  hand  to  the 
depth  of  fourteen  to  eighteen  inches,  throwing  on  the  surface  behind  him 
all  the  roots,  stumps  and  stones,  and  stopping  occasionally  to  blast  when 
the  rocks  are  too  large  to  be  pried  out.  This,  of  course,  is  expensive,  and 
cannot  be  largely  indulged  in  ;  but,  when  accomplished,  the  work  is  done 
for  all  time,  and  I  have  obtained  at  once  by  this  method  some  splendid 
soil,  in  which  the  plow  sinks  to  the  beam.  A  drought  must  be  severe, 
indeed,  that  can  injure  such  land. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  men  in  the  performance  of  this  work.  I 
have  one  who,  within  a  reasonable  time,  would  trench  a  farm.  Indeed, 
in  his  power  to  obey  the  primal  command  to  "  subdue  the  earth,"  my 
man,  Abraham,  is  a  hero ;  although,  I  imagine,  he  scarcely  knows  what 
the  word  means,  and  would  as  soon  think  of  himself  as  a  hippopotamus. 
His  fortunes  would  often  seem  as  dark  as  himself  to  those  who  "  take 
thought  for  the  morrow,"  and  that  is  saying  much,  for  Abraham  is  "  col- 
ored "  as  far  as  man  can  be. 

I  doubt  whether  his  foresight  often  reaches  further  than  bed-time,  and 
to  that  hour  he  comes  with  an  honest  right  to  rest  He  is  a  family  man, 
and  has  six  or  seven  children,  under  eight  years  of  age,  whom  he  shelters 
in  a  wretched  little  house,  that  appears  tired  of  standing  up.  But  to  and 
from  this  abode  Abraham  passes  daily,  with  a  face  as  serene  as  a  May 
morning.  In  that  weary  old  hovel  I  am  satisfied  that  he  and  his  swarm- 
ing little  brood  have  found  what  no  architect  can  build — a  home.  Thither 
he  carries  his  diurnal  dollar,  when  he  can  get  it,  and  on  it  they  all  manage 
to  live  and  grow  fat.  He  loses  time  occasionally,  it  is  true,  through  illness, 
but  no  such  trifling  misfortune  can  induce  him,  seemingly,  to  take  a  long, 
anxious  look  into  the  future.  Only  once — it  was  last  winter — have  I 
seen  him  dismayed  by  the  frowning  fates.  The  doctor  thought  his  wife 


5<5 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


would  die,  and  they  had  nothing  to  eat  in  the  house.  When  Abraham 
appeared  before  me  at  that  time,  his  "  countenance  was  fallen,"  as  the 
quaint,  strong  language  of  Scripture  expresses  it.  He  made  no  com- 
plaints, however,  and  indulged  in  no  Byronic  allusions  to  destiny.  Indeed, 
he  said  very  little,  but  merely  drooped  and  cowered,  as  if  the  wolf  at  the 
door  and  the  shadow  of  death  within  it  were  rather  more  than  he  could 
face  at  one  and  the  same  time.  It  soon  became  evident,  however,  that  his 
wife  would  "  pull  through,"  as  he  said,  and  then  the  wolf  did  n't  trouble 
him  a  mite.  He  installed  himself  as  cook,  nurse,  and  house  man-of-all- 
work,  finding  also  abundant  leisure  to  smoke  his  pipe  with  infinite  content. 
One  morning  he  was  seen  baking  buckwheat  cakes  for  the  children ;  each 
one  in  turn  received  an  allowance  on  a  tin  plate,  and  squatted  here  and 
there  on  the  floor  to  devour  it ;  and,  from  the  master  of  ceremonies  down, 
there  was  not  an  indication  that  all  was  not  just  as  it  should  be.  A  few 
days  later,  I  met  him  coming  back  to  his  work  with  his  pipe  in  the  corner 


The  Champion  Grubber. 

of  his  mouth,  and  the  old  confident  twinkle  in  his  eye  as  he  said,  "Mornin', 
Bossie."  Now,  Abraham  carries  his  peculiar  characteristics  into  grubbing. 
If  I  should  set  him  at  a  hundred-acre  field  full  of  stumps  and  stones,  and 


Preparing  and  Enriching  the  Soil.  57 

tell  him  to  clear  it  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  he  would  begin  without  any 
apparent  misgiving,  and  with  no  more  thought  for  the  magnitude  of 
his  task  than  he  has  for  the  tangled  and  stubborn  mysteries  of  life  in  gen- 
eral, or  the  dubious  question  of  "  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow  "  in  his 
own  experience.  He  would  see  only  the  little  strip  that  he  proposed  to 
clear  up  that  day,  and  would  go  to  work  in  a  way  all  his  own. 

Although  not  talkative  to  other  people,  he  is  very  social  with  himself, 
and,  in  the  early  days  of  our  acquaintance,  I  was  constantly  misled  into 
the  belief  that  somebody  was  with  him,  and  that  he  was  a  man  of  words 
rather  than  work.  As  soon,  however,  as  I  reached  a  point  from  which 
I  could  see  him,  there  he  would  be  alone,  bending  to  his  task  with  the 
steady  persistence  that  makes  his  labor  so  effective ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  until  he  saw  me,  he  would  continue  discussing  with  equal  vigor 
whatever  subject  might  be  uppermost  in  his  mind.  I  suppose  he  scarcely 
ever  takes  out  a  stone  or  root  without  apostrophizing,  adjuring  and 
berating  it  in  tones  and  vernacular  so  queer  that  one  might  imagine  he 
hoped  to  remove  the  refractory  object  by  magic  rather  than  by  muscle. 
When  the  sun  is  setting,  however,  and  Abraham  has  complacently 
advised  himself — "  better  quit,  for  de  night  's  done  gone,  and  de  ole 
woman  is  arter  me,  afeard  I  Ve  kivered  myself  up  a-grubbin','' — one 
thing  is  always  evident — a  great  many  stones  and  roots  are  "  unkivered," 
and  Abraham  has  earned  anew  his  right  to  the  title  of  champion  grubber. 

But,  as  most  men  handle  the  pick  and  shovel,  the  fruit  grower  must 
be  chary  in  his  attempts  to  subdue  the  earth  with  these  old-time  imple- 
ments. It  is  too  much  like  making  war  with  the  ancient  Roman  short 
sword  in  an  age  of  rifled  guns.  I  agree  with  that  practical  horticulturist, 
Peter  Henderson,  that  there  are  no  implements  equal  to  the  plow  and 
subsoiler,  and,  in  our  broad  and  half-occupied  country,  we  should  be 
rather  shy  of  land  where  these  cannot  be  used. 

The  cultivator  whose  deep  moist  loam  is  covered  by  sod  only,  instead 
of  rocks,  brush,  and  trees,  may  feel  like  congratulating  himself  on  the  easy 
task  before  him ;  and,  indeed,  where  the  sod  is  light,  strawberries,  and 
especially  the  larger  small  fruits,  are  often  planted  on  it  at  once  with  fair 
success.  I  do  not  recommend  the  practice  ;  for,  unless  the  subsequent 
culture  is  very  thorough  and  frequent,  the  grass  roots  will  continue  to 
grow  and  may  become  so  intertwined  with  those  of  the  strawberry  that 
they  cannot  be  separated.  Corn  is  probably  the  best  hoed  crop  to 
precede  the  strawberry.  Potatoes  too  closely  resemble  this  fruit  in  their 
demand  for  potash,  and  exhaust  the  soil  of  one  of  the  most  needed 
elements.  A  dressing  of  wood  ashes,  however,  will  make  good  the  loss. 
8 


58  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Buckwheat  is  one  of  the  most  effective  means  of  subduing  and  cleaning- 
land,  and  two  crops  can  be  plowed  under  in  a  single  summer.  Last  spring 
I  had  some  very  stiff  marsh  sod  turned  over  and  sown  with  buckwheat, 
which,  in  our  hurry,  was  not  plowed  under  until  considerable  of  the  seed 
ripened  and  fell.  A  second  crop  from  this  came  up  at  once,  and  was 
plowed  under  when  coming  into  blossom,  as  the  first  should  have  been. 
The  straw,  in  its  succulent  state,  decayed  in  a  few  days,  and  by  autumn 
my  rough  marsh  sod  was  light,  rich  and  mellow  as  a  garden,  ready  for 
anything. 

If  it  should  happen  that  the  land  designed  for  strawberries  was  in  clover, 
it  would  make  an  admirable  fertilizer  if  turned  under  while  still  green,  and 
I  think  its  use  for  this  purpose  would  pay  better  than  cutting  it  for  hay, 
even  though  there  is  no  better.  Indeed,  were  I  about  to  put  any  sod 
land,  that  was  not  very  stiff  and  unsubdued,  into  small  fruits,  I  would  wait 
till  whatever  herbage  covered  the  ground  was  just  coming  into  flower,  and 
then  turn  it  under.  The  earlier  growth  that  precedes  the  formation  of 
seed  does  not  tax  the  soil  much,  but  draws  its  substance  largely  from  the 
atmosphere,  and  when  returned  to  the  earth  while  full  of  juices,  is  valuable. 
In  our  latitude,  this  can  usually  be  done  by  the  middle  of  June,  and  if  on 
this  sod  buckwheat  is  sown  at  once,  it  will  hasten  the  decay,  loosen  and 
lighten  the  soil  in  its  growth,  and  in  a  few  weeks  be  ready  itself  to  increase 
the  fertility  of  the  field  by  being  plowed  under.  In  regions  where  farm- 
yard manure  and  other  fertilizers  are  scarce  and  high,  this  plowing  under 
of  green  crops  is  one  of  the  most  effective  ways  both  of  enriching  and  pre- 
paring the  land ;  and  if  the  reader  has  no  severer  labors  to  perform  than 
this,  he  may  well  congratulate  himself. 

But  let  him  not  be  premature  in  his  self-felicitation,  for  he  may  find  in 
his  sod  ground,  especially  if  it  be  old  meadow  land,  an  obstacle  worse  than 
stumps  and  stones — the  Lachnosterna  fusca. 

This  portentous  name  may  well  inspire  dread,  for  the  thing  itself  can 
realize  one's  worst  fears.  The  deep,  moist  loam  which  we  are  considering 
is  the  favorite  haunt  of  this  hateful  little  monster,  and  he  who  does  not  find 
it  lying  in  wait  when  turning  up  land  that  has  been  long  in  sod,  may  deem 
himself  lucky.  The  reader  need  not  draw  a  sigh  of  relief  when  I  tell  him 
that  I  mean  merely  the  "  white  grub,"  the  larva  of  the  May-beetle  or  June- 
bug,  that  so  disturbs  our  slumbers  in  early  summer  by  its  sonorous  hum 
and  aimless  bumping  against  the  wall.  This  white  grub,  which  the  farm- 
ers often  call  the  "  potato  worm,"  is,  in  this  region,  the  strawberry's  most 
formidable  foe,  and,  by  devouring  the  roots,  will  often  destroy  acres  of 
plants.  If  the  plow  turns  up  these  ugly  customers  in  large  numbers,  the 


Preparing  and  Enriching  the  Soil.  59 

only  recourse  is  to  cultivate  the  land  with  some  other  crop  until  they  turn 
into  beetles  and  fly  away.  This  enemy  will  receive  fuller  attention  in  a 
later  chapter. 

It  is  said  that  this  pest  rarely  lays  its  eggs  in  plowed  land,  preferring 
sod  ground,  where  its  larvae  will  be  protected  from  the  birds,  and  will  find 
plenty  of  grass  roots  on  which  to  feed.  Nature  sees  to  it  that  white  grubs 
are  taken  care  of,  but  our  Monarch  strawberries  need  our  best  skill  and 
help  in  their  unequal  fight ;  and  if  "Lachnos  "  and  tribe  should  turn  out  in 
force,  Alexander  himself  would  be  vanquished. 


Stff 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


PREPARATION   OF   SOIL   BY   DRAINAGE. 


T7XCESSIVE  moisture  will  often  prevent  the  immediate  cultivation  of 
-Lrf  our  ideal  strawberry  land.  Its  absence  is  fatal,  its  excess  equally  so. 
Let  me  suggest  some  of  the  evil  effects.  Every  one  is  aware  that  climate  — 
that  is,  the  average  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  throughout  the  year — 
has  a  most  important  influence  on  vegetation.  But  a  great  many,  I 
imagine,  do  not  realize  that  there  is  an  underground  climate  also,  and  that 
it  is  scarcely  less  important  that  this  should  be  adapted  to  the  roots  than 
that  the  air  should  be  tempered  to  the  foliage.  Water-logged  land  is  cold. 
The  sun  can  bake,  but  not  warm  it  to  any  extent.  Careful  English 
experiments  have  proved  that  well-drained  land  is  from  10°  to  20° 
warmer  than  wet  soils ;  and  Mr.  Parkes  has  shown,  in  his  "  Essay  on 
the  Philosophy  of  Drainage,"  that  in  "  draining  the  '  Red  Moss '  the 
thermometer  in  the  drained  land  rose  in  June  to  66°  at  seven  inches  below 
the  surface,  while  in  the  neighboring  water-logged  land  it  would  never 
rise  above  47°,  an  enormous  gain." 

In  his  prize  essay  on  drainage,  Dr.  Madden  confirms  the  above,  and 
explains  further,  as  follows :  "  An  excess  of  water  injures  the  soil  by 
diminishing  its  temperature  in  summer  and  increasing  it  in  winter —  a 
transformation  of  nature  most  hurtful  to  perennials,  because  the  vigor  of  a 
plant  in  spring  depends  greatly  on  the  lowness  of  temperature  to  which  it 
has  been  subjected  during  the  winter  (within  certain  limits,  of  course),  as. 
the  difference  of  temperature  between  winter  and  spring  is  the  exciting 

60 


Preparation  of  Soil  by  Drainage.  61 

cause  of  the  ascent  of  the  sap."  In  other  words,  too  much  water  in  the 
soil  may  cause  no  marked  difference  between  the  underground  climate  of 
winter  and  spring. 

Dr.  Madden  shows,  moreover,  that  excess  of  water  keeps  out  the  air 
essential  not  only  in  promoting  chemical  changes  in  the  soil  itself  and 
required  by  the  plants,  but  also  the  air  which  is  directly  needed  by  the 
roots.  Sir  H.  Davy,  and  others,  have  proved  that  oxygen  and  carbonic 
acid  are  absorbed  by  the  roots  as  well  as  by  the  foliage,  and  these  gases 
can  be  brought  to  them  by  the  air  only. 

Again,  drainage  alters  the  currents  which  occur  in  wet  soil.  In 
undrained  land,  evaporation  is  constantly  bringing  up  to  the  roots  the  sour, 
exhausted  water  of  the  subsoil,  which  is  an  injury  rather  than  a  benefit. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  rain  just  fallen  passes  freely  through  a  drained 
soil,  carrying  directly  to  the  roots  fresh  air  and  stimulating  gases. 

Wet  land  also  produces  conditions  which  disable  the  foliage  of  plants 
from  absorbing  carbonic  acid,  thus  greatly  decreasing  its  atmospheric 
supply  of  food.  Other  reasons  might  be  given,  but  the  reader  who  is  not 
satisfied  had  better  set  out  an  acre  of  strawberries  on  water-logged  land. 
His  empty  pocket  will  out-argue  all  the  books. 

The  construction  of  drains  may  be  essential,  for  three  causes.  1st. 
Land  that  is  dry  enough  naturally,  may  lie  so  as  to  collect  and  hold  sur- 
face water,  which,  accumulating  with  every  rain  and  snow  storm,  at  last 
renders  the  soil  sour  and  unproductive.  2d.  Comparatively  level  land, 
and  even  steep  hill-sides,  may  be  so  full  of  springs  as  to  render  drains  at 
short  intervals  necessary.  3d.  Streams,  flowing  perhaps  from  distant 
sources,  may  find  their  natural  channel  across  our  grounds.  If  these 
channels  are  obstructed  or  inadequate,  we  find  our  land  falling  into  the 
ways  of  an  old  soaker. 

It  should  here  be  stated,  however,  that  if  we  could  cause  streams 
to  overflow  our  land  in  a  shallow,  sluggish  current,  so  that  a  sediment 
would  be  left  on  the  surface  after-  a  speedy  subsidence,  the  result 
would  be  in  miniature  like  the  overflow  of  the  Nile  in  Egypt,  most 
beneficial,  that  is,  if  means  for  thorough  subsequent  drainage  was  provided. 

If  there  is  an  abundance  of  stone  on  one's  place  suitable  for  the  con- 
struction of  drains,  they  can  often  be  used  to  advantage,  as  I  shall  show ; 
but  for  all  ordinary  purposes  of  drainage,  round  tile  with  collars  are  now 
recommended  by  the  best  authorities.  It  is  said  that  they  are  cheaper 
than  stone,  even  where  the  latter  is  right  at  hand ;  and  the  claim  is 
reasonable,  since,  instead  of  the  wide  ditch  required  by  stone,  a  narrow 
cut  will  suffice  for  tile ;  thus,  a  great  saving  is  at  once  effected  in  the  cost 


62 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


of  digging.  Tile  also  can  be  laid  rapidly  and  is  not  liable  to  become 
obstructed  if  properly  protected  at  points  of  discharge  by  gratings,  so 
that  vermin  cannot  enter.  They  should  not  be  laid  near  willow,  elm  and 
other  trees  of  like  character,  or  else  the  fibrous  roots  will  penetrate  and 
fill  the  channel.  If  one  has  a  large  problem  of  drainage  to  solve,  he 
should  carefully  read  a  work  like  Geo.  E.  Waring's  "  Draining  for  Profit 
and  for  Health  " ;  and  if  the  slope  or  fall  of  some  fields  is  very  slight,  say 
scarcely  one  foot  in  a  hundred,  the  services  of  an  engineer  should  be 
employed,  and  accurate  grades  obtained.  By  a  well-planned  system,  the 
cost  of  draining  a  place  can  be  greatly  reduced,  and  the  water  made 
very  useful. 

On  my  place  at  Cornwall  I  found  three  acres  of  wet  land,  each  in  turn 
illustrating  one  of  the  causes  which  make  drainage  necessary.  I  used 
stone,  because,  in  some  instances,  no  other  material  would  have  answered, 
in  others  partly  because  I  was  a  novice  in  the  science  of  drainage,  and 
partly  because  I  had  the  stones  on  my  place,  and  did  not  know  what  else 
to  do  with  them.  I  certainly  could  not  cart  them  on  my  neighbors' 
ground  without  having  a  surplus  of  hot  as  well  as  cold  water,  so  I  con- 
cluded to  bury  them  in  the  old-fashioned  box-drains.  Indeed,  I  found 
rather  peculiar  and  difficult  problems  of  drainage,  and  the  history  of  their 
solution  may  contain  useful  hints  to  the  reader. 


Map  Showing  Experiments  in  the  Drainage  of  a  Strawberry  Farm. 


).   Srr.ossN.Y. 


In  front  of  my  house  there  is  a  low,  level  plot  of  land  containing  about 
three  acres.  Upon  this  the  surface  water  ran  from  all  sides,  and  there  was 
no  outlet.  The  soil  was,  in  consequence,  sour,  and  in  certain  spots  only  a 
wiry  marsh  grass  would  grow.  And  yet  it  required  but  a  glance  to  see 
that  a  drain,  which  could  carry  off  this  surface  water  immediately,  would 
render  it  the  best  land  on  the  place.  I  tried,  in  vain,  the  experiment  of 


Preparation  of  Soil  by  Drainage. 


digging  a  deep,  wide  ditch  across  the  entire  tract,  in  hopes  of  finding  a 
porous  subsoil.  Then  I  excavated  great,  deep  holes,  but  came  to  a  blue 
clay  that  held  water  like  rubber.  The  porous  subsoil, 
in  which  I  knew  the  region  abounded,  and  which  makes 
Cornwall  exceptionally  free  from  all 
miasmatic  troubles,  eluded  our  spades 
like  hidden  treasures.  I  eventually 
found  that  I  must  ob- 
f^-_  tain  permission  of  a 

neighbor  to  carry  a 
drain  across  another 
farm  to  the  mountain 
stream  that  empties 


The  "Seth  Boyden  "  Strawberry..— The  Scene  of  Operations. 

into  the  Hudson  at  Cornwall  Landing.     The  covered  drain  through  the 
adjoining  place  was  deep  and  expensive,  but   the   ditch    across  my  land 


64  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

(marked  A  on  the  map)  is  a  small  one,  walled  with  stone  on  either  side. 
It  answers  my  purpose,  however,  giving  me  as  good  strawberry  land  as  I 
could  wish.  On  both  sides  of  this  open  ditch,  and  at  right  angles  with  it,  I 
had  the  ground  plowed  up  into  beds  130  feet  long  by  21  wide.  The 
shallow  depressions  between  these  beds  slope  gently  toward  the  ditch,  and 
thus,  after  every  storm,  the  surface  water,  which  formerly  often  covered 
the  entire  area,  is  at  once  carried  away.  I  think  my  simple,  shallow,  open 
drain  is  better  than  tile  in  this  instance. 

As  may  be  seen  from  the  map,  my  farm  is  peculiar  in  outline,  and 
resembles  an  extended  city  lot,  being  2,550  feet  long,  and  only  410  wide. 

The  house,  as  shown  by  the  engraving,  stands  on  quite  an  ele- 
vation, in  the  rear  of  which  the  land  descends  into  another  swale  or 
basin.  The  drainage  of  this  presented  a  still  more  difficult  problem. 
Not  only  did  the  surface  water  run  into  it,  but  in  moist  seasons 
the  ground  was  full  of  springs.  The  serious  feature  of  the  case  was  that 
there  seemed  to  be  no  available  outlet  in  any  direction.  Unlike  the  mellow, 
sand)'  loam  in  front  of  the  house,  the  swale  in  the  rear  was  of  the  stiffest 
kind  of  clay — just  the  soil  to  retain  and  be  spoiled  by  water.  During  the 
first  year  of  our  residence  here,  this  region  was  sometimes  a  pond,  some- 
times a  quagmire,  while  again,  under  the  summer  sun,  it  baked  into 
earthenware.  It  was  a  doubtful  question  whether  this  stubborn  acre  could 
be  subdued,  and  yet  its  heavy  clay  gave  me  just  the  diversity  of  soil  I 
needed.  Throughout  the  high  gravelly  knoll  on  which  the  house  stands, 
the  natural  drainage  is  perfect,  and  a  sagacious  neighbor  suggested  that  if 
I  cut  a  ditch  across  the  clayey  swale  into  the  gravel  of  the  knoll,  the  water 
would  find  a  natural  outlet  and  disappear. 

The  ditch  was  dug  eight  feet  wide  and  five  feet  deep,  for  I  decided  to 
utilize  the  surface  of  the  drain  as  a  road-bed.  Passing  out  of  the  clay  and 
hard-pan,  we  came  into  the  gravel,  and  it  seemed  porous  enough  to 
carry  off  a  fair-sized  stream.  I  concluded  that  my  difficult  problem  had 
found  a  cheap  and  easy  solution,  and,  to  make  assurance  doubly  sure,  I 
directed  the  men  to  dig  a  deep  pit  and  fill  it  with  stones. 

When  they  had  gone  about  nine  feet  below  the  surface,  I  happened  to 
be  standing  on  the  brink  of  the  excavation  watching  the  work.  A  laborer 
struck  his  pick  into  the  gravel,  when  a  stream  gushed  out  which  in  its 
sudden  abundance  suggested  that  which  flowed  in  the  wilderness  at  the 
stroke  of  Moses's  rod.  The  problem  was  now  complicated  anew.  So  far 
from  finding  an  outlet,  I  had  dug  a  well  which  the  men  could  scarcely  bail 
•out  fast  enough  to  permit  of  its  being  stoned  up. 

My  neighbors  remarked  that  my  wide  ditch  reminded  them  of  the  Erie 


Preparation  of  Soil  by  Drainage.  65 

canal,  and  my  wife  was  in  terror  lest  the  children  should  be  drowned  in  it. 
Now  something  had  to  be  done,  and  I  called  in  the  services  of  Mr.  Cald- 
well,  city  surveyor  of  Newburgh,  and  to  his  map  I  refer  the  reader  for  a 
clearer  understanding  of  my  tasks. 

Between  the  upper  and  lower  swales,  the  ridge  on  which  the  house 
stands  slopes  to  its  greatest  depression  along  its  western  boundary,  and  I 
was  shown  that  if  I  would  cut  deep  enough,  the  open  drain  in  the  lower 
swale  could  receive  and  carry  off  the  water  from  the  upper  basin.  This 
appeared  to  be  the  only  resource,  but  with  my  limited  means  it  was  like  a 
ship-canal  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  The  old  device  of  emptying  my 
drains  into  a  hole  that  practically  had  no  bottom,  suggested  itself  to  me.  It 
would  be  so  much  easier  and  cheaper  that  I  resolved  once  more  to  try  it, 
though  with  hopes  naturally  dampened  by  my  last  moist  experience.  I 
directed  that  the  hole  (marked  B  on  the  map)  should  be  oblong,  and  in  the 
direct  line  of  the  ditch,  so  that  if  it  failed  of  its  purpose  it  could  become  a 
part  of  the  drain.  Down  we  went  into  as  perfect  sand  and  gravel  as  I  ever 
saw,  and  the  deeper  we  dug  the  dryer  it  became.  This  time,  in  wounding 
old  "  Mother  Earth,"  we  did  not  cut  a  vein,  and  there  seemed  a  fair  pros- 
pect of  our  creating  a  new  one,  for  into  this  receptacle  I  decided  to  turn  my 
largest  drain  and  all  the  water  that  the  stubborn  acre  persisted  in  keeping. 

I  therefore  had  a  "box-drain"  constructed  along  the^western  bound- 
ary of  the  place  (marked  C)  until  it  reached  the  lowest  spot  in  the  upper 
swale.  This  drain  was  simply  and  rapidly  constructed,  in  the  following 
manner :  a  ditch  was  first  dug  sufficiently  deep  and  wide,  and  with  a  fall 
that  carried  off  the  water  rapidly.  In  the  bottom  of  this  ditch  the  men 
built  two  roughly  faced  walls,  one  foot  high  and  eight  inches  apart.  Com- 
paratively long,  flat  stones,  that  would  reach  from  wall  to  wall,  were  easily 
found,  and  thus  we  had  a  covered  water-course,  eight  by  twelve  inches, 
forming  the  common  box- drain  that  will  usually  last  a  life- time. 

The  openings  over  the  channel  were  carefully  "  chinked  "  in  with  small 
stones  and  all  covered  with  inverted  sods,  shavings,  leaves  or  anything  that 
prevented  the  loose  soil  from  sifting  or  washing  down  into  the  water-course. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  box-drain,  just  described,  a  second  and 
smaller  receptacle  was  dug  (marked  D),  and  from  this  was  constructed 
another  box-drain  (E),  six  inches  square,  across  the  low  ground  to  the  end 
of  the  canal  in  which  we  had  found  the  well  (F).  This  would  not  only 
drain  a  portion  of  the  land  but  would  also  empty  the  big  ditch  (G),  and 
prevent  the  water  of  the  well  from  rising  above  a  certain  point.  This 
kind  of  stone-work  can  be  done  rapidly ;  two  men  in  two  short  winter 
days  built  thirteen  rods  with  a  water-course  six  inches  in  the  clear. 
9 


66  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

To  the  upper  and  further  end  of  the  canal  (G),  I  constructed  another 
and  cheaper  style  of  drain.  In  the  bottom  of  this  ditch  (H),  two  stones 
were  placed  on  their  ends  or  edges  and  leaned  together  so  as  to  form  a 
kind  of  arch,  and  then  other  stones  were  thrown  over  and  around  them 
until  they  reached  a  point  eighteen  inches  from  the  surface.  Over  these 
stones,  as  over  the  box-drains  also,  was  placed  a  covering  of  any  coarse 
litter  to  keep  the  earth  from  washing  down ;  and  then  the  construction 
of  one  or  two  short  side-drains,  the  refilling  the  ditches  and  leveling  the 
ground  completed  my  task. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  this  entire  system  of  drainage  ended  in 
the  excavation  (B)  already  described.  The  question  was  now  whether 
such  a  theory  of  drainage  would  "  hold  water."  If  it  would,  the  hole  I 
had  dug  must  not,  and  I  waited  to  see.  It  promised  well.  Quite  a 
steady  stream  poured  into  it  and  disappeared.  By  and  by  there  came  a 
heavy  March  storm.  When  I  went  out  in  the  morning,  everything  was 
afloat.  The  big  canal  and  the  well  at  its  lower  end  were  full  to  over- 
flowing. The  stubborn  acre  was  a  quagmire,  and  alas  !  the  excavation 
which  I  had  hoped  would  save  so  much  trouble  and  expense  was  also  full. 
I  plodded  back  under  my  umbrella  with  a  brow  as  lowering  as  the  sky. 
There  seemed  nothing  for  it  but  to  cut  a  "  Dutch  gap  "  that  would  make 
a  like  chasm  in  my  bank  account.  By  noon  it  cleared  off,  and  I  went 
down  to  take  a  melancholy  survey  of  the  huge  amount  of  work  that  now 
seemed  necessary,  when,  to  my  great  joy,  the  oblong  cut,  in  which  so 
many  hopes  had  seemingly  been  swamped,  was  entirely  empty.  From 
the  box-drain  a  large  stream  poured  into  it  and  went  down  —  to  China,  for 
all  that  I  knew.  I  went  in  haste  to  the  big  canal  and  found  it  empty,  and 
the  well  lowered  to  the  mouth  of  the  drain.  The  stubborn  acre  was  now 
under  my  thumb,  and  I  have  kept  it  there  ever  since.  During  the  past 
summer,  I  had  upon  its  wettest  and  stiffest  portion  two  beds  of  Jucunda 
strawberries  that  yielded  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  bushels  to 
the  acre.  The  Jucunda  strawberry  is  especially  adapted  to  heavy  land 
requiring  drainage,  and  I  think  an  enterprising  man  in  the  vicinity  of 
New- York  might  so  unite  them  as  to  make  a  fortune.  The  hole  was 
filled  with  stones  and  now  forms  a  part  of  my  garden,  and  the  canal 
answers  for  a  road-bed  as  at  first  intended.  In  the  fortuitous  well  I  have 
placed  a  force-pump,  around  which  are  grown  and  watered  my  potted 
plants.  The  theory  of  carrying  drains  into  gravel  does  hold  water,  and 
sometimes  holes  can  be  dug  at  a  slight  expense,  that  practically  have  no 
bottom.  I  have  no  doubt  that  in  this  instance  tile  would  have  been 
better  and  cheaper  than  the  small  stone  drains  that  I  have  described. 


Preparation  of  Soil  by  Drainage. 


67 


Men  Ditching. — Jucunda  Strawberry. 


68  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

In  the  rear  of  my  place  there  was  a  third  drainage  problem  very 
different  from  either  of  the  other  two.  My  farm  runs  back  to  the  rise  of 
the  mountain,  whose  edge  it  skirts  for  some  distance.  It  thus  receives 
at  times  much  surface  water.  At  the  foot  of  the  mountain-slope,  there 
are  about  three  acres  of  low  alluvial  soil  that  was  formerly  covered  with 
a  coarse,  useless  herbage  of  the  swamp.  Between  the  meadow  and  the 
slope  of  the  mountain,  "the  town"  built  a  "  boulevard"  (marked  I  I  on 
the  map),  practically  "cribbing"  an  acre  or  two  of  land.  Ahab,  who 
needed  Naboth's  vineyard  for  public  purposes,  is  the  spiritual  father  of  all 
"town  boards." 

At  the  extreme  end  of  the  farm,  and  just  beyond  the  alluvial 
ground,  was  the  channel  of  a  brook  (marked  J).  Its  stony  bed,  through 
which  trickled  a  rill,  had  a  very  innocent  aspect  on  the  October  day 
when  we  looked  the  farm  over  and  decided  upon  its  purchase.  The 
rill  ran  a  little  way  on  my  grounds,  then  crept  under  the  fence  and  skirted 
my  western  boundary  for  several  hundred  yards.  On  reaching  a  rise  of 
land,  it  re-entered  my  place  and  ran  obliquely  across  it.  It  thus  inclosed 
three  sides  of  the  low,  bushy  meadow  I  have  named.  Its  lower  channel 
across  the  place  had  been  stoned  up  with  the  evident  purpose  of  keeping 
it  within  limits ;  but  the  three  or  four  feet  of  space  between  the  walls  had 
become  obstructed  by  roots,  bushes,  vines  and  debris  in  general.  With 
the  exception  of  the  stony  bed  where  it  first  entered  the  farm,  most  of 
its  course  was  obscured  by  overhanging  bushes  and  the  sere,  rank 
herbage  of  autumn. 

In  a  vague  way,  I  felt  that  eventually  something  would  have  to  be 
done  to  direct  this  little  child  of  the  mountain  into  proper  ways,  and  to 
subdue  the  spirit  of  the  wilderness  that  it  diffused  on  every  side.  I  had  its 
lower  channel  across  the  place  (K  K)  cleared  out,  thinking  that  this  might 
answer  for  the  present ;  and  the  gurgle  of  the  little  streamlet  along  the 
bottom  of  the  ditch  seemed  a  low  laugh  at  the  idea  of  its  ever  filling  the 
three  square  feet  of  space  above  it.  Deceitful  little  brook!  Its  innocent 
babble  contained  no  suggestion  of  its  hoarse  roar  on  a  March  day,  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  as  it  tore  its  way  along,  scooping  the  stones  and  gravel  from 
its  upper  bed  and  scattering  them  far  and  wide  over  the  alluvial  meadow. 
Instead  of  a  tiny  rill,  I  found  that  I  would  have  to  cope  at  times  with 
a  mountain  torrent.  At  first,  the  task  was  too  heavy,  and  the  fitful- 
tempered  brook,  and  the  swamp-like  region  it  encompassed,  were  left 
for  years  to  their  old  wild  instincts.  At  last  the  increasing  demands  of 
my  business  made  it  necessary  to  have  more  arable  land,  and  I  saw  that, 
if  I  could  keep  it  from  being  overwhelmed  with  water  and  gravel,  the 
alluvial  meadow  was  just  the  place  for  strawberries. 


Preparation  of  Soil  by  Drainage.  69 

I  commenced  at  the  lowest  point  where  it  finally  leaves  my  grounds, 
and  dug  a  canal  (K  K),  twelve  feet  wide  by  four  or  five  deep,  across  my 
place,  stoning  up  its  walls  on  either  side.  An  immense  amount  of  earth 
and  gravel  was  thrown  on  the  lower  side  so  as  to  form  a  high,  strong 
embankment  in  addition  to  the  channel.  Then,  where  it  entered  the  farm 
above  the  meadow,  I  had  a  wide,  deep  ditch  excavated,  throwing  all  the 
debris  between  it  and  the  land  I  wished  to  shield.  Throughout  the  low 
meadow,  two  covered  box-drains  (L  and  M)  were  constructed  so  that  the 
plow  could  pass  over  them.  On  the  side  of  the  meadow  next  to  the  boule- 
vard and  mountain,  I  had  an  open  drain  (N  N)  dug  and  filled  with  stones 
even  with  the  ground.  It  was  designed  to  catch  and  carry  off  the  surface 
water,  merely,  from  the  long  extent  of  mountain-slope  that  it  skirted.  The 
system  of  ditches  to  protect  and  drain  the  partial  swamp,  and  also  to  manage 
the  deceitful  brook,  was  now  finished,  and  I  waited  for  the  results.  During 
much  of  the  summer,  there  was  not  a  drop  of  water  in  the  wide  canal,  save 
where  a  living  spring  trickled  into  it.  The  ordinary  fall  rains  could  scarcely 
more  than  cover  the  broad,  pebbly  bottom,  and  the  unsophisticated  laughed 
and  said  that  I  reminded  them  of  the  general  who  trained  a  forty-pound 
gun  on  a  belligerent  mouse.  I  remembered  what  I  had  seen,  and  bided  my 
time. 

But  I  did  not  have  to  wait  till  March.  One  November  day,  it  began  to 
rain,  and  it  kept  on.  All  the  following  night  there  was  a  steady  rush  and 
roar  of  falling  water.  It  was  no  ordinary  pattering,  but  a  gusty  outpouring 
from  the  "windows  of  heaven."  The  two  swales  in  the  front  and  rear  of 
the  house  became  great  muddy  ponds,  tawny  as  the  "  yellow  Tiber,"  and 
through  intervals  of  the  storm  came  the  sullen  roar  of  the  little  brook  that 
had  been  purring  like  a  kitten  all  summer.  Toward  night,  Nature  grew 
breathless  and  exhausted ;  there  were  sobbing  gusts  of  wind  and  sudden 
gushes  of  rain  that  grew  less  and  less  frequent.  It  was  evident  she  would 
become  quiet  in  the  night  and  quite  serene  after  her  long,  tempestuous 
•mood. 

As  the  sun  was  setting,  I  ventured  out  with  much  misgiving.  The 
deepening  roar  as  I  went  down  the  lane  increased  my  fears,  but  I  was  fairly 
appalled  by  the  wild  torrent  that  cut  off  all  approach  to  the  bridge.  The 
water  had  not  only  filled  the  wide  canal,  but  also,  at  a  point  a  little  above 
the  bridge,  had  broken  over  and  washed  away  the  high  embankment.  I 
skirted  along  the  tide  until  I  reached  the  part  of  the  bank  that  still 
remained  intact,  and  there  beneath  my  feet  rushed  a  flood  that  would  have 
instantly  swept  away  horse  and  rider.  Indeed,  quite  a  large  tree  had  been 
torn  up  by  its  roots,  and  carried  down  until  it  caught  in  the  bridge,  which 
would  also  have  gone  had  not  the  embankment  above  it  given  way. 


7<D  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

The  lower  part  of  the  meadow  was  also  under  water.  It  had  been 
plowed,  and  therefore  would  wash  readily.  Would  any  soil  be  left  ?  A 
few  moments  of  calm  reflection,  however,  removed  my  fears.  The  treach- 
erous brook  had  not  beguiled  me  during  the  summer  into  inadequate  pro- 
vision for  this  unprecedented  outbreak.  I  saw  that  my  deep,  wide  cut  had 
kept  the  flood  wholly  from  the  upper  part  of  the  meadow,  which  contained 
a  very  valuable  bed  of  high-priced  strawberry  plants,  and  that  the  slowly 
moving  tide  which  covered  the  lower  part  was  little  more  than  back-water 
and  overflow.  The  wide  ditches  were  carrying  off  swiftly  and  harmlessly 
the  great  volume  that,  had  not  such  channels  been  provided,  would  have 
made  my  rich  alluvial  meadow  little  else  than  a  stony,  gravelly  waste.  And 
the  embankment  had  given  way  at  a  point  too  low  down  to  permit  much 
damage. 

The  two  swales  in  the  front  and  rear  of  the  house  appeared  like 
mill-ponds.  In  the  former  instance,  the  water  had  backed  up  from  the 
mountain  stream  into  which  my  drain  emptied,  and,  therefore,  it  could  not 
pass  off;  and  in  the  latter  instance,  I  cotild  scarcely  expect  my  little  under- 
ground channel  to  dispose  at  once  of  the  torrents  that  for  forty  hours 
had  poured  from  the  skies.  I  must  give  it  at  least  a  night  in  which  to 
catch  up.  And  a  busy  night  it  put  in,  for  by  morning  it  had  conveyed 
to  depths  unknown  the  wide,  discolored  pond,  that  otherwise  would  have 
smothered  the  plants  it  covered.  As  soon,  also,  as  the  mountain  stream 
fell  below  the  mouth  of  the  lower  drain,  it  emptied  at  once  the  water 
resting  on  the  lower  swale.  Throughout  the  day  came  successive  tales  of 
havoc  and  disaster,  of  dams  scooped  out,  bridges  swept  away,  roads  washed 
into  stony  gulches,  and  fields  and  gardens  overwhelmed  with  debris. 
The  Idlewild  brook,  that  the  poet  Willis  made  so  famous,  seemed  almost 
demoniac  in  its  power  and  fury.  Not  content  with  washing  away  dams, 
roads  and  bridges,  it  swept  a  heavy  wall  across  a  field  as  if  the  stones 
were  pebbles. 

My  three  diverse  systems  of  drainage  had  thus  practically  stood  the 
severest  test,  perhaps,  that  will  ever  be  put  upon  them,  and  my  grounds 
had  not  been  damaged  to  any  extent  worth  naming.  The  cost  had  been 
considerable,  but  the  injury  caused  by  that  one  storm  would  have 
amounted  to  a  larger  sum  had  there  been  no  other  channels  for  the  water 
than  those  provided  by  nature. 

My  readers  will  find,  in  many  instances,  that  they  have  land  which 
must  be  or  may  be  drained.  If  it  can  be  done  sufficiently,  the  very  ideal 
strawberry  soil  may  be  secured — moist  and  deep,  but  not  wet. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


THE    PREPARATION   OF   SOILS    COMPARATIVELY    UNFAVORABLE — CLAY, 

SAND,    ETC. 

WE  have  now  reached  a  point  at  which  we  must  consider  land  which 
in  its  essential  character  is  unfavorable  to  strawberries,  and  yet 
which  may  be  the  best  to  be  had.  The  difficulties  here  are  not  merely 
accidental  or  remediable,  such  as  lack  of  depth  or  fertility,  the  presence 
of  stones  or  stumps,  undue  wetness  of  soil,  etc.  Any  or  all  of  these 
obstacles  may  be  found,  but  in  addition,  there  are  evils  inseparable  from 
the  soil,  and  which  cannot  be  wholly  eradicated.  The  best  we  can  hope 
in  such  a  case  is  to  make  up  by  art  what  is  lacking  in  nature. 

This  divergence  from  the  deep,  moist  sandy  loam,  the  ideal  straw- 
berry land,  is  usually  toward  a  stiff,  cold,  stubborn  clay,  or  toward  a 
droughty,  leachy  sand  that  retains  neither  fertility  nor  moisture.  Of 
course,  these  opposite  soils  require  in  most  respects  different  treatment. 

We  will  consider  first  the  less  objectionable,  /'.  e.,  the  heavy  clay.  To 
call  clay  more  favorable  for  strawberries  than  sandy  land  may  seem  like 
heresy  to  many,  for  it  is  a  popular  impression  that  light  soils  are  the  best. 
Experience  and  observation  have,  however,  convinced  me  of  the  contrary. 
With  the  clay  you  have  a  stable  foundation.  Your  progress  may  be 
slow,  but  it  can  be  made  sure.  The  character  of  a  sandy  foundation  was 
taught  centuries  ago.  Moreover,  all  the  fine  foreign-blooded  varieties,  as 
well  as  our  best  native  ones,  grow  far  better  on  heavy  land,  and  a  soil 
largely  mixed  with  clay  gives  a  wider  range  in  the  choice  of  varieties. 

If  I  had  my  choice  between  a  farm  of  cold,  stiff  clay  or  light,  leachy 


72  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

land,  I  would  unhesitatingly  take  the  former,  and  I  would  overcome  its 
native  unfitness  by  the  following  methods :  If  at  all  inclined  to  be  wet, 
as  would  be  natural  from  its  tenacious  texture,  I  should  first  underdrain 
it  thoroughly  with  tile.  Then,  if  I  found  a  fair  amount  of  vegetable 
matter,  I  would  give  it  a  dressing  of  air-slaked  lime,  and  plow  it  deeply 
late  in  the  fall,  leaving  it  unharrowed  so  as  to  expose  as  much  of  the  soil 
as  possible  to  the  action  of  frost.  Early  in  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the 
ground  was  dry  enough  to  work  and  all  danger  of  frost  was  over,  I  would 
harrow  in  buckwheat  and  plow  it  under  as  it  came  into  blossom ;  then 
sow  a  second  crop  and  plow  that  under  also.  It  is  the  characteristic 
of  buckwheat  to  lighten  and  clean  land,  and  the  reader  perceives  that 
it  should  be  our  constant  aim  to  impart  lightness  and  life  to  the  heavy 
soil.  Lime,  in  addition  to  its  fertilizing  effects,  acts  chemically  on  the 
ground,  producing  the  desired  effect.  It  may  be  objected  that  lime  is 
not  good  for  strawberries.  That  -is  true  if  crude  lime  is  applied  directly 
to  the  plants,  as  we  would  ashes  or  bone  dust ;  but  when  it  is  mixed 
with  the  soil  for  months,  it  is  so  neutralized  as  to  be  helpful,  and  in  the 
meantime  its  action  on  the  soil  itself  is  of  great  value.  It  must  be 
used  for  strawberries,  however,  in  more  limited  quantities  than  for  many 
other  crops,  or  else  more  time  must  be  given  for  it  to  become  incor- 
porated with  the  soil. 

The  coarse  green  straw  of  the  buckwheat  is  useful  by  its  mechanical 
division  of  the  heavy  land,  while  at  the  same  time  its  decomposition  fills 
the  soil  with  ammonia  and  other  gases  vitally  necessary  to  the  plant.  A 
clay  soil  retains  these  gases  with  little  waste.  It  is  thus  capable  of  being 
enriched  to  almost  any  extent,  and  can  be  made  a  store-house  of  wealth. 

Where  it  can  be  procured,  there  is  no  better  fertilizer  for  clay  land 
than  the  product  of  the  horse-stable,  which,  as  a  rule,  can  be  plowed 
under  in  its  raw,  unfermented  state,  its  heat  and  action  in  decay  produc- 
ing the  best  results.  Of  course,  judgment  and  moderation  must  be 
employed.  The  roots  of  a  young,  growing  plant  cannot  feed  in  a  mass  of 
fermenting  manure,  no  matter  what  the  soil  may  be.  The  point  I  wish  to 
make  is  that  cold,  heavy  land  is  greatly  benefited  by  having  these  heating, 
gas-producing  processes  take  place  beneath  its  surface.  After  they  are 
over,  the  tall  rank  foliage  and  enormous  fruit  of  the  Jucunda  strawberry  (a 
variety  that  can  scarcely  grow  at  all  in  sand)  will  show  the  capabilities 
of  clay. 

Heavy  land  is  the  favorite  home  of  the  grasses,  and  is  usually  covered 
with  a  thick,  tenacious  sod.  This,  of  course,  must  be  thoroughly  subdued 
before  strawberries  are  planted,  or  else  you  will  have  a  hay  field  in  spite 


Clay,   Sand,  Etc.  73 

of  all  you  can  do.  The  decay  of  this  mass  of  roots,  however,  furnishes 
just  the  food  required,  and  a  crop  of  buckwheat  greatly  hastens  decompo- 
sition, and  adds  its  own  bulk  and  fertility  when  plowed  under.  I  think 
it  will  scarcely  ever  pay  to  plant  strawberries  directly  on  the  sod  of 
heavy  land. 

While  buckwheat  is  a  good  green  crop  to  plow  under,  if  the  cultivator 
can  wait  for  the  more  slowly  maturing  red-top  clover,  he  will  find  it  far 
better,  both  to  enrich  and  to  lighten  up  his  heavy  soil ;  for  it  is  justly 
regarded  as  the  best  means  of  imparting  the  mellowness  and  friability  in 
which  the  roots  of  strawberries  as  well  as  all  other  plants  luxuriate. 

There  are,  no  doubt,  soils  fit  for  bricks  and  piping  only,  but  in  most 
instances,  by  a  judicious  use  of  the  means  suggested,  they  can  be  made  to 
produce  heavy  and  long- continued  crops  of  the  largest  fruit. 

These  same  principles  apply  to  the  small  garden-plot  as  well  as  to  the 
acre.  Instead  of  carting  off  weeds,  old  pea- vines,  etc.,  dig  them  under 
evenly  over  the  entire  space,  when  possible.  Enrich  with  warm,  light  fer- 
tilizers, and  if  a  good  heavy  coat  of  hot  strawy  manure  is  trenched  in  the 
heaviest,  stickiest  clay,  in  October  or  November,  strawberries  or  anything 
else  can  be  planted  the  following  spring.  The  gardener  who  thus  expends 
a  little  thought  and  far-sighted  labor  will  at  last  secure  results  that  will 
surpass  his  most  sanguine  hopes,  and  that,  too,  from  land  that  would 
otherwise  be  as  hard  as  Pharaoh's  heart. 

Before  passing  from  this  soil  to  that  of  an  opposite  character,  let  me 
add  a  few  words  of  caution.  Clay  land  should  never  be  stirred  when 
either  very  wet  or  very  dry,  or  else  a  lumpy  condition  results  that  injures 
it  for  years.  It  should  be  plowed  or  dug  only  when  it  crumbles.  When 
the  soil  is  sticky,  or  turns  up  in  great  hard  lumps,  let  it  alone.  The  more 
haste  the  worst  speed. 

Again,  the  practice  of  fall  plowing,  so  very  beneficial  in  latitudes 
where  frosts  are  severe  and  long  continued,  is  just  the  reverse  in  the  far 
South.  There  our  snow  is  rain,  and  the  upturned  furrows  are  washed 
down  into  a  smooth,  sticky  mass  by  the  winter  storms.  On  steep  hill- 
sides, much  of  the  soil  would  ooze  away  with  every  rain,  or  slide  down 
hill  en  masse.  In  the  South,  therefore,  unless  a  clay  soil  is  to  be  planted 
at  once,  it  must  not  be  disturbed  in  the  fall,  and  it  is  well  if  it  can  be  pro- 
tected by  stubble  or  litter,  which  shields  it  from  the  direct  contact  of 
the  rain  and  from  the  sun's  rays.  But  cow- peas,  or  any  other  rank- grow- 
ing green  crop  adapted  to  the  locality,  is  as  useful  to  Southern  clay  as  to 
Northern,  and  Southern  fields  might  be  enriched  rapidly,  since  their  long 
season  permits  of  plowing  under  several  growths. 
10 


74  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Lime  and  potash,  in  their  various  forms  in  connection  with  green 
crops,  would  give  permanent  fertility  to  every  heavy  acre  of  Southern 
land.  In  my  judgment,  however,  barn-yard  manure  is  not  surpassed  in 
value  by  any  other  in  any  latitude.  If  one  owned  clay  land  from  which 
he  could  not  secure  good  crops  after  the  preparation  that  has  been  sug- 
gested, he  had  better  either  turn  it  into  a  brick-yard  or  emigrate. 

Sandy  Ground. — Suppose  that,  in  contrast,  our  soil  is  a  light  sand. 
In  this  case,  the  question  of  cultivation  is  greatly  simplified,  but  the 
problem  of  obtaining  a  heavy  crop  is  correspondingly  difficult.  The 
plow  and  the  cultivator  run  readily  enough,  and  much  less  labor  is 
required  to  keep  the  weeds  in  subjection,  but  as  a  rule,  light  land  yields 
little  fruit,  and  yet  under  favorable  circumstances  I  have  seen  magnifi- 
cent crops  of  certain  varieties  growing  on  sand.  If  sufficient  moisture 
and  fertility  can  be  maintained,  many  of  our  best  varieties  will  thrive 
and  produce  abundantly  ;  but  to  do  this  is  the  very  pith  of  our  diffi- 
culty. Too  often  a  sandy  soil  will  not  retain  moisture  and  manure.  Such 
light  land  is  generally  very  deficient  in  vegetable  matter ;  and,  therefore, 
whenever  it  is  possible,  I  would  turn  under  green  crops.  If  the  soil  could 
be  made  sufficiently  fertile  to  produce  a  heavy  crop  of  clover,  and  this 
were  plowed  under  in  June,  and  then  buckwheat  harrowed  in  and  its 
rank  growth  turned  under  in  August,  strawberries  could  be  planted  as 
soon  as  the  heat  of  decay  was  over,  with  excellent  prospects  of  fine 
crops  for  the  three  succeeding  years.  Did  I  propose  to  keep  the  land 
in  strawberries,  I  would  then  give  it  another  year  of  clover  and  buckwheat, 
adding  bone  dust,  potash  and  a  very  little  lime  in  some  form.  The  green 
crop,  when  decayed,  is  lighter  than  clay,  and  renders  its  tenacious 
texture  more  friable  and  porous ;  it  also  benefits  the  sandy  soil  by 
supplying  the  absent  humus,  or  vegetable  mold,  which  is  essential  to 
all  plant  life.  This  mold  is  also  cool  and  humid  in  its  nature,  and  aids  in 
retaining  moisture. 

With  the  exception  of  the  constant  effort  to  place  green  vegetable 
matter  under  the  surface,  my  treatment  of  sandy  ground  would  be  the 
reverse  of  that  described  for  clay.  Before  using  the  product  of  the  horse- 
stable,  I  would  compost  it  with  at  least  an  equal  bulk  of  leaves,  muck, 
sods,  or  even  plain  earth,  if  nothing  better  could  be  found.  A  compost 
of  stable  manure  with  clay  would  be  most  excellent.  If  possible,  I  would 
not  use  any  manure  on  light  ground  until  all  fermentation  was  over, 
and  then  I  would  rather  harrow  than  plow  it  in.  This  will  leave  it 
near  the  surface,  and  the  rains  will  leach  it  down  to  the  roots — and 
below  them,  also  —  only  too  soon.  Fertility  cannot  be  stored  up  in  sand 
as  in  clay,  and  it  should  be  our  aim  to  give  our  strawberries  the  food 


Clay,  Sand,  Etc.  75 

they  need  in  a  form  that  permits  of  its  immediate  use.  Therefore,  in 
preparing  such  land,  I  would  advise  deep  plowing  while  it  is  moist,  if 
possible,  soon  after  a  rain  ;  then  the  harrowing  in  of  a  liberal  top- 
dressing  of  rotted  compost,  or  of  muck  sweetened  by  the  action  of  frost 
and  the  fermentation  of  manure,  or,  best  of  all,  the  product  of  the  cow* 
stable.  Decayed  leaves,  sods  and  wood  ashes  also  make  excellent 
fertilizers. 

In  the  garden,  light  soils  can  be  given  a  much  more  stable  and 
productive  character  by  covering  them  with  clay  to  the  depth  of  one 
or  two  inches  every  fall,  and  then  plowing  it  in.  The  winter's  frost 
and  rains  mix  the  two  diverse  soils,  to  their  mutual  benefit.  Carting 
sand  on  clay  is  rarely  remunerative ;  the  reverse  is  decidedly  so,  and 
top-dressings  of  clay  on  light  land  are  often  more  beneficial  than  equal 
amounts  of  manure. 

As  practically  employed,  I  regard  quick,  stimulating  manures,  like 
guano,  very  injurious  to  light  soils.  I  believe  them  to  be  the  curse  of 
the  South.  They  are  used  "  to  make  a  crop,"  as  it  is  termed ;  and 
they  do  make  it  for  a  few  years,  but  to  the  utter  impoverishment  of 
the  land.  The  soil  becomes  as  exhausted  as  a  man  would  be  should  he 
seek  to  labor  under  the  support  of  stimulants  only.  In  both  instances,, 
an  abundance  of  food  is  needed.  A  quinine  pill  is  not  a  dinner,  and  a 
dusting  of  guano  or  phosphate  cannot  enrich  the  land. 

And  yet,  by  the  aid  of  these  stimulating  commercial  fertilizers,  the 
poorest  and  thinnest  soil  can  be  made  to  produce  fine  strawberries,  if 
sufficient  moisture  can  be  maintained.  Just  as  a  physician  can  rally  an 
exhausted  man  to  a  condition  in  which  he  can  take  and  be  strengthened  by 
food,  so  land,  too  poor  and  light  to  sprout  a  pea,  can  be  stimulated  into- 
producing  a  meager  green  crop  of  some  kind,  which,  plowed  under,  will  ena- 
ble the  land  to  produce  a  second  and  heavier  burden.  This,  in  turn,  placed 
in  the  soil,  will  begin  to  give  a  suggestion  of  fertility.  Thus,  poor  or 
exhausted  soils  can  be  made,  by  several  years  of  skillful  management,  to 
convalesce  slowly  into  strength. 

Whether  such  patient  outlay  of  time  and  labor  will  pay  on  a  continent 
abounding  in  land  naturally  productive,  is  a  very  dubious  question. 

Coarse,  gravelly  soils  are  usually  even  worse.  If  we  must  grow  our 
strawberries  on  them,  give  the  same  general  treatment  that  I  have  just 
suggested. 

On  some  peat  soils,  the  strawberry  thrives  abundantly ;  on  others  it 
burns  and  dwindles.  Under  such  conditions  I  should  experiment  with 
bone  dust,  ashes,  etc.,  until  I  found  just  what  was  lacking. 

No  written  directions  can  take  the  place  of  common  sense,  judgment. 


76  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

and,  above  all,  experience.  Soils  vary  like  individual  character.  I  have 
yet  to  learn  of  a  system  of  rules  that  will  teach  us  how  to  deal  with  every 
man  we  meet.  It  is  ever  wise,  however,  to  deal  justly  and  liberally.  He 
that  expects  much  from  his  land  must  give  it  much. 

I  have  dwelt  at  length  on  the  preparation  and  enrichment  of  the  land, 
since  it  is  the  corner-stone  of  all  subsequent  success.  Let  me  close  by 
emphasizing  again  the  principle  which  was  made  prominent  at  first. 
Though  we  give  our  strawberry  plants  everything  else  they  need,  our 
crop  of  fruit  will  yet  be  good  or  bad  in  the  proportion  that  we  are  able  to 
maintain  abundant  moisture  during  the  blossoming  and  fruiting  season. 
If  provision  can  be  made  for  irrigation,  it  may  increase  the  yield  tenfold. 


CHAPTER   X. 


COMMERCIAL   AND   SPECIAL   FERTILIZERS. 


IN  preparing  and  enriching  the  soil,  and  especially  in  subsequent  cultiva- 
tion, concentrated  fertilizers  are  very  useful  and  often  •  essential.  In 
dealing  with  this  subject,  however,  I  think  we  tread  upon  uncertain 
ground.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  apparent  accuracy  of  figures  and 
analyses  carried  carefully  into  decimals,  but  a  wonderful  deal  of  vagueness, 
uncertainty  and  contradiction  in  the  experiences  and  minds  of  cultivators. 
It  is  well  known  that  many  commercial  fertilizers  are  scandalously 
adulterated,  and  those  who  have  suffered  from  frauds  are  hostile  to  the 
entire  class.  In  their  strong  prejudice,  they  will  neither  discriminate  nor 
investigate.  There  are  others  who  associate  everything  having  a  chemical 
sound  with  "  book  farming,"  and  therefore  dismiss  the  whole  subject  with 
a  sniff  of  contempt.  This  clique  of  horticulturists  is  rapidly  diminishing, 
however,  for  the  fruit  grower  who  does  not  read  is  like  the  lawyer  who 
tries  to  practice  with  barely  a  knowledge  of  the  few  laws  revealed  by  a 
limited  experience.  In  contrast,  there  are  others  who  read  and  theorize 
too  exclusively,  and  are  inclined  to  assert  that  concentrated  fertilizers 
supersede  all  others.  They  scout  the  muck  swamp,  the  compost  heap, 
and  even  the  barn-yard,  as  old-fashioned,  cumbrous  methods  of  bringing 
to  the  soil,  in  tons  of  useless  matter,  the  essentials  which  they  can  deliver  in 
a  few  sacks  or  barrels.  On  paper,  they  are  scientific  and  accurate.  The 
crop  you  wish  to  raise  has  constituents  in  certain  proportions.  Supply 
these,  they  say,  and  you  have  the  chemical  compound  or  crop.  A  field 


77 


7  8  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

or  garden,  however,  is  not  a  sheet  of  blank  paper,  but  a  combination  at 
which  nature  has  been  at  work,  and  left  full  of  obscurities.  The  results 
which  the  agricultural  chemist  predicted  so  confidently  do  not  always 
follow,  as  they  ought.  Nature  is  often  very  indifferent  to  learned 
authorities. 

There  is  yet  another  class — a  large  one,  too — who  regard  these  ferti- 
lizers as  they  do  the  drugs  of  an  apothecary.  They  occasionally  give  their 
land  a  dose  of  them  as  they  take  medicine  themselves,  when  indisposed  or 
imagining  themselves  so.  In  either  case,  there  is  almost  entire  ignorance  of 
the  nature  of  the  compound  or  of  definite  reasons  for  its  usefulness.  Both 
the  man  and  the  field  were  "  run  down,"  and  some  one  said  that  this,  that, 
or  the  other  thing  was  good.  Therefore,  it  was  tried.  Such  hap-hazard 
action  is  certainly  not  the  surest  method  of  securing  health  or  fertility. 

In  no  other  department  of  horticulture  is  there  more  room  for 
common  sense,  accurate  knowledge,  skill,  and  good  management,  than  in 
the  use  of  all  kinds  of  fertilizers,  and,  in  my  judgment,  close  and  continued 
observation  is  worth  volumes  of  theory.  The  proper  enrichment  of  the 
soil  is  the  very  corner-stone  of  success,  and  more  fail  at  this  point  than  at 
.any  other.  While  I  do  not  believe  that  accurate  and  complete  directions 
for  the  treatment  of  every  soil  can  be  written,  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that 
certain  correct  principles  can  be  laid  down,  and  information,  suggestion, 
and  records  of  experience  given  which  will  be  very  useful.  With  such  data 
to  start  with,  the  intelligent  cultivator  can  work  out  the  problem  of 
.success  in  the  peculiar  conditions  of  his  own  farm  or  garden. 

It  must  be  true  that  land  designed  for  strawberries  requires  those 
constituents  which  are  shown  to  compose  the  plant  and  fruit,  and  that  the 
presence  of  each  one  in  the  soil  should  be  in  proportion  to  the  demand 
for  it.  It  is  also  equally  plain  that  the  supply  of  these  essential  elements 
should  be  kept  up  in  continued  cultivation.  Therefore,  the  question 
naturally  arises,  what  are  strawberry  plants  and  fruit  made  of?  Modern 
wine,  we  know,  can  be  made  without  any  grape  juice  whatever,  but  as 
Nature  compounds  strawberries  in  the  open  sunlight,  instead  of  in  back 
rooms  and  cellars,  she  insists  on  all  the  proper  ingredients  before  she  will 
form  the  required  combination. 

The  Country  Gentleman  gives  a  very  interesting  letter  from  Prof.  S.  W. 
Johnson,  of  the  Connecticut  Experiment  Station,  containing  the  following 
careful  analysis  made  by  J.  Isidore  Pierre,  a  French  writer.  "  Pierre,"  says 
the  professor,  "  gives  a  statement  of  the  composition,  exclusive  of  water,  of 
the  total  yield  per  hectare  of  fruit,  taken  up  to  June  30,  and  of  leaves, 
stems  and  runners,  taken  up  to  the  middle  of  August.  These  results, 


Commercial  and  Special  Fertilizers.  79 

calculated  in  pounds  per  acre,  are  the  following  (the  plants  contained  62.3 
per  cent,  of  water  and  the  fruit  90  per  cent) : 

Composition  of  the  water-free  strawberry  crop  (except  roots),  at  the  middle  of 
August,  in  pounds  per  acre,  according  to  Pierre: 

Plants.  Fruit. 

Organic  matter,  exclusive  of  nitrogen ....   4268.4  I053-5 

Nitrogen 88.5  16.0 

Silica,  iron  and  manganese  oxides 43.3 

Phosphoric  acid 35.3  5.4 

Lime 102.7  7-9 

Magnesia 16.1  .7 

Potash 89.1  19.7 

Soda 6.4  .9 

Other  matters • 1 20.9  8.8 


Dry  substance 477°-7  1118.2  5888.9" 

These  are  the  constituents  that,  to  start  with,  must  be  in  the  soil,  and 
which  must  be  kept  there.  This  array  of  what  to  many  are  but  obscure 
chemicals  need  not  cause  misgivings,  since  in  most  instances  nature  has 
stored  them  in  the  virgin  soil  in  abundant  proportions.  Even  in  well-worn, 
long-cultivated  fields,  some  of  them  may  exist  in  sufficient  quantity. 
Therefore,  buying  a  special  fertilizer  is  often  like  carrying  coals  to  New 
Castle.  Useless  expenditure  may  be  incurred,  also,  by  supplying  some, 
but  not  all,  of  the  essential  ingredients.  A  farmer  applied  600  Ibs.  of 
superphosphate  to  a  plat  of  corn-land,  and  300  Ibs.  to  an  adjacent  plat 
wherein  the  conditions  were  the  same.  The  yield  of  the  first  plat  was 
scarcely  in  excess  of  that  of  the  second,  and  in  neither  case  was  there  a  suf- 
ficient increase  to  repay  for  the  fertilizer.  It  does  not  follow  that  the  man 
used  an  adulterated  and  worthless  article.  Analysis  shows  that  corn  needs 
nitrogen  and  potash  in  large  proportions ;  and  if  these  had  been  employed 
with  the  superphosphate,  the  result  probably  would  have  been  very  differ- 
ent. Superphosphate  contains  nitrogen,  but  not  in  sufficient  degree. 
These  considerations  bring  us  to  the  sound  conclusion  that  in  enriching  our 
land  it  would  be  wise  to  use  complete  fertilizers  as  far  as  possible  ;  that  is, 
manures  containing  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  essential  ingredients  of  the  straw- 
berry plant  and  fruit.  If  we  could  always  know  just  what  elements  are 
lacking  in  our  soils,  we  could  merely  supply  these  ;  but  frequent  analyses 
are  expensive,  and  often  misleading,  at  best  The  safest  plan  is  always  to 


8o  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

keep  within  reach  of  the  plants  the  food  we  know  they  require,  and  the 
roots,  with  unerring  instinct,  will  attend  to  the  proportions.  Hence  the 
value  of  barn-yard  manure  in  the  estimation  of  plain  common  sense.  A 
sensible  writer  has  clearly  shown  that  from  twenty-three  cows  and  five 
horses,  if  proper  absorbents  are  used,  $5.87  worth  of  nitrogen,  potash  and 
phosphoric  acid  can  be  obtained  every  twenty-four  hours,  estimating  these 
vitally  important  elements  of  plant-food  at  their  wholesale  valuation.  In 
addition,  there  are  the  other  constituents  of  the  yard  manure  which,  if  not 
so  valuable,  are  still  very  useful.  To  permit  the  waste  of  any  fertilizer  that 
can  be  saved  or  made  upon  our  places,  and  then  buy  the  same  thing  with  the 
chance  of  being  cheated,  is  thus  shown  to  be  wretched  economy.  Com- 
mercial fertilizers  can  never  supersede  the  compost  heap,  into  which  should 
go  everything  which  will  enable  us  to  place  in  the  soil  organic  matter  and 
the  other  elements  that  were  given  in  the  analysis  ;  and  if  all  the  sewage  and 
waste  of  the  dwelling  and  the  products  of  the  stable,  stys  and  poultry-house 
were  well  composted  with  muck,  sod,  leaves,  or  even  common  earth,  and 
used  liberally,  magnificent  and  continued  crops  of  strawberries  could  be 
raised  from  nearly  all  soils. 

In  many  instances,  however,  home-made  composts  are  wholly  inade- 
quate to  supply  the  need,  and  stable  manures  are  too  costly  or  not  to  be 
obtained.  The  fruit  grower  should  then  go  to  those  manufacturers  of  fer- 
tilizers who  have  the  best  reputation,  and  who  give  the  best  guarantees 
against  deception.  There  are  perfectly  honest  dealers,  and  it  is  by  far  the 
cheapest  in  the  end  to  pay  them  their  price  for  a  genuine  article.  If  such 
concentrated  agents  are  used  in  connection  with  a  green  crop  like  clover, 
land  can  be  made  and  kept  productive  continuously.  In  the  use  of  com- 
mercial fertilizers,  there  should  be  a  constant  and  intelligent  effort  to 
keep  up  a  supply  of  all  the  essential  ingredients.  Wood  ashes  is  a  specific 
for  strawberries.  I  have  never  found  any  one  thing  so  good,  and  yet  it  is 
substantially  but  one  thing,  potash,  and  I  should  remember  that  the  plant 
also  requires  nitrogen,  which  guano,  or  some  form  of  animal  manure, 
would  furnish  ;  lime,  which  is  best  applied  to  the  strawberry  in  the  form  of 
bone  meal,  etc.  The  essential  phosphoric  acid  is  furnished  in  bone  meal, 
the  superphosphates,  and  also  in  wood  ashes.  By  referring  to  an  analysis 
of  the  ash  red  clover,  it  will  be  found  to  contain  nearly  everything  that 
the  strawberry  requires. 

The  man  who  reads,  observes  and  experiments  carefully,  will  find 
that  he  can  accomplish  much  with  lime  and  salt.  If  one  has  land  full 
of  vegetable  or  organic  matter,  an  application  of  lime  will  render  this 
matter  fit  for  plant  food,  and  the  lime  itself,  in  the  course  of  a  year  or 


Commercial  and  Special  Fertilizers.  81 

less,  will  be  rendered  harmless  in  the  process.  It  also  sweetens  and 
lightens  heavy,  sour  land,  and  thus,  in  time,  renders  it  better  adapted  to 
the  strawberry  ;  but  lime  should  not  be  applied  directly,  in  any  considerable 
quantity,  to  strawberry  plants,  nor  should  it  be  used  on  very  light  soils 
deficient  in  vegetable  matter.  The  judicious  use  of  salt  in  small  quantities 
will,  I  think,  prove  very  beneficial,  especially  on  light  upland.  It  tends  to 
prevent  injury  from  drought,  and  to  clear  the  land  of  the  larvae  of  insects. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  much  can  be  accomplished  with  this  agent, 
and  hope  to  make  some  careful  experiments  with  it.  But  it  should  be 
used  very  cautiously,  or  it  will  check  or  destroy  growth. 

I  have  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  J.  H.  Hale,  of  South  Glastonbury, 
Conn.,  that  is  such  a  clear  and  interesting  record  of  experience  on  this 
subject  that  I  am  led  to  give  it  almost  entire : 

"  We  have  always  used  Peruvian  guano,  fish  scrap,  and  ground  bone  to  some 
extent,  but  until  the  past  five  years  have  depended  mainly  upon  stable  manure 
brought  from  New  York  city  on  boats,  using  about  fifteen  cords  per  acre  yearly, 
and  always  with  satisfactory  results,  the  only  objection  being  the  expense.  The 
price  ranged  from  $8  to  $12  per  cord,  or  on  an  average  of  $150  per  acre;  and 
in  trying  to  reduce  this  expense  we  commenced  testing  different  fertilizers,  plant- 
ing, in  1874,  one  acre  of  strawberries  manured  with  two  tons  of  fish  scrap,  at  $20 
per  ton,  and  one  hundred  bushels  of  unleached  wood  ashes,  at  30  cents  per  bushel ; 
making  a  total  cost  of  $70.  The  result  was  a  strong,  rapid  growth  of  plants  early  in 
the  summer,  but  in  September  and  October  they  began  to  show  signs  of  not  having 
plant  food  enough,  and  then  we  saw  our  mistake  in  using  fish  in  place  of  bone,  or 
some  other  slow-acting  fertilizer  that  the  plants  could  not  have  taken  up  so  greedily 
early  in  the  summer,  but  would  have  had  to  feed  on  slowly  all  through  the 
season.  The  fruit  crop  the  following  year,  as  might  have  been  expected,  was  not  a 
success,  being  only  about  half  a  crop.  In  1875,  we  planted  another  acre,  using  one 
ton  of  ground  bone  and  one  hundred  bushels  of  wood  ashes,  at  a  total  cost  of  $73; 
the  result  was  a  fine,  even  growth  of  plants  all  through  the  season,  and  a  perfect 
crop  of  fruit  the  following  year,  fully  equal  to  that  on  adjoining  acres  that  had 
been  manured  with  stable  manure  at  a  cost  of  $150  per  acre,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  carting  of  such  a  great  bulk  of  manure.  In  the  spring  of  1876,  being  so  well 
pleased  with  the  appearance  of  our  one  acre  manured  with  bone  and  ashes,  we 
planned  to  fertilize  all  of  our  fruits  in  the  same  way.  Then  the  question  arose, 
where  were  we  to  get  the  ashes  ?  We  could  buy  enough  for  an  acre  or  two,  but 
not  enough  for  our  whole  farm.  What  were  we  to  do  ?  Potash  we  must  have,  as 
that  is  the  leading  element  of  plant  food  required  by  small  fruits  of  all  kinds.  We 
found  we  must  look  to  the  German  potash  salts  for  what  we  wanted,  and  we  there- 
fore bought  several  tons  of  High  Grade  (80  per  cent.)  muriate  of  potash  at  $40  per 
ton,  using  1,000  pounds  per  acre,  and  one  ton  of  bone  at  $35,  making  a  total  cost 
of  only  $55  per  acre.  The  plants  did  not  grow  quite  as  well  early  in  the  season  as 
those  on  the  fields  where  ashes  were  used,  but  later  in  the  season  they  made  a  very 
fine  growth,  and  at  fruiting  time,  in  1877,  we  harvested  a  full  and  abundant  crop  of 
II 


82  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

strawberries  and  raspberries.  Since  that  time,  we  have  used  nothing  but  ground1 
bone  and  muriate  of  potash  to  manure  all  of  our  berry  fields  with,  and  continue  to 
get  fully  as  satisfactory  results  as  in  former  years,  when  we  depended  upon  stable 
manure  at  more  than  double  the  cost  per  acre.  Some  parties  who  have  been  look- 
ing into  the  matter  suggest  that  possibly  our  satisfactory  results  are  owing  not  so 
much  to  the  fertilizers  as  to  the  liberal  supply  of  stable  manure  used  in  former  years. 
Yet  the  past  season  we  picked  143  bushels  of  Charles  Downings  per  acre,  from  a 
field  manured  with  bone  and  potash,  so  poor  and  worn  out  that,  two  years  before,  it 
would  only  produce  six  bushels  of  rye  per  acre.  That  land  had  no  stable  manure 
on  it,  and  if  it  was  not  the  bone  and  potash  that  furnished  food  for  the  berries,  we 
would  like  to  know  what  it  was.  The  one  mistake  we  have  made  is,  I  think,  in  not 
using  six  or  eight  hundred  pounds  offish  scrap  or  guano,  and  only  1,500  pounds  of 
bone.  The  fish  or  guano,  being  such  quick-acting  fertilizers,  would  give  the  plants  a 
much  better  start  early  in  the  season  than  would  be  the  case  if  only  the  bone  and 
potash  were  used.  We  shall  try  it  the  coming  spring.  In  applying  the  potash,  great 
care  should  be  taken  to  have  it  thoroughly  incorporated  with  the  soil,  it  being  only 
about  55  per  cent,  actual  potash;  the  balance,  being  largely  composed  of  salt,  would, 
of  course,  kill  the  roots  of  young  plants  if  brought  directly  in  contact  with  them. 
In  fields  where  we  have  used  the  potash,  we  have  been  troubled  with  white  grubs. 
only  to  a  very  limited  extent,  while  portions  of  the  same  field  where  stable  manure 
had  been  used  were  badly  infested  with  them,  and  while  I  do  not  think  salt  will 
drive  them  all  out  of  the  soil,  I  do  believe  it  will  do  so  to  some  extent.  Besides 
the  fertilizers  I  have  named,  we  have  in  the  past  six  years  experimented  in  a  small 
way  with  many  others.  Among  them,  Stockbridge's  strawberry  manure  and  Mapes' 
fruit  and  vine  manures,  but  have  never  had  as  good  returns  for  the  money  invested 
as  from  the  bone  and  potash ;  and  yet,  while  they  have  proved  of  such  great  value  to. 
us,  I  would  not  advise  you  or  any  one  to  give  up  stable  majiure  for  them  if  you  can 
get  it  at  the  same  cost  per  acre,  but  if  you  cannot,  then  I  say  try  bone  dust  and 
potash  in  a  small  way,  until  you  learn  just  what  your  soil  wants,  and  then  supply 
it  whether  it  be  500,  1,000,  or  2,000  pounds  per  acre." 

Mr.   Hale  adds: 

"  The  most  of  our  soil  is  a  sandy  loam.  We  have  some  heavy  loam  and  a  few 
acres  of  clay  gravel,  and  we  have  always  had  good  results  from  the  use  of  bone  and 
potash  on  all  of  these  soils. 

"  We  have  never  used  lime  on  our  berry  fields  at  the  time  of  planting,  and  yet, 
as  you  know,  all  of  our  New  England  soils  are  deficient  in  lime.  We  use  some 
indirectly,  as  we  grow  clover  to  plow  under,  and  usually  give  at  that  time  a  good 
dressing  of  lime.  As  we  try  to  have  a  new  clover  field  every  year,  we  get  all 
around  the  farm  in  six  or  eight  years,  and  we  therefore  get  a  dressing  of  lime  all 
around  once  in  that  time,  and  have  never  been  able  to  see  any  ill  effects  from  it.  In 
fact,  we  believe  it  a  positive  benefit  in  helping  to  keep  down  sorrel,  if  nothing 
more." 

There  would  be  very  few  worn-out  farms,  or  poverty-stricken  farmers, 
if  all  followed  the  example  of  the  Hale  brothers. 


Commercial  and  Special  Fertilizers.  83 

The  value  of  potash  and  bone  meal  is  thus  clearly  shown,  but  the  latter 
does  not  contain  nitrogen  in  sufficient  quantity.  I  think  Mr.  Hale  is  cor- 
rect in  the  opinion  that  he  can  secure  better  results  by  using  at  the  same 
time  some  nitrogenous  manure,  like  fish  scrap,  guano,  etc.  If  he  had 
heavy,  cold,  clay  land  to  deal  with,  it  is  possible  that  he  might  find  the 
stable  manure  the  cheapest  and  best  in  the  long  run,  even  at  its  increased 
•cost 

Mr.  W.  L.  Ferris,  of  Poughkeepsie,  writes  to  me  that  he  has  found 
great  advantage  in  the  use  of  the  Mapes  &  Stockbridge  special  fertilizers. 
"  My  experience,"  he  says,  "  is  only  as  to  strawberries,  and  on  them  I 
would  say  that  the  result  of  applying  equal  values  of  manure — stable  and 
commercial — as  to  cost,  would  be  from  ten  to  twenty-five  per  cent,  in 
favor  of  the  commercial,  as  a  stimulant  to  apply  in  the  spring,  or,  in  small 
quantities,  to  plants  first  starting.  This  does  not  apply  to  the  first 
preparation  of  the  ground.  In  this  direction  I  propose  to  experiment. 
I  have  heretofore  applied  fertilizers  early  in  spring  by  hand,  distributing 
it  along  the  rows." 

Records  of  varying  experiences,  and  the  discussion  of  commercial 
fertilizers,  might  be  continued  indefinitely,  but  enough  has  been  said,  I 
think,  to  suggest  to  each  cultivator  unacquainted  with  the  subject  in  what 
directions  he  should  seek  success.  If  I  were  asked  what  is  the  one  special 
manure  in  which  the  strawberry  especially  delights,  I  should  answer 
unhesitatingly,  the  well  decayed  and  composted  production  of  the  cow- 
stable,  and  if  the  reader  had  seen  Mr.  Durand's  beds  of  the  Great  Ameri- 
can variety  in  bearing,  after  being  enriched  with  this  material,  he  would  be 
well  satisfied  to  use  it  when  it  could  be  obtained.  The  vines  of  even  this 
fastidious  berry,  that  falters  and  fails  in  most  soils,  averaged  one  foot  in 
height,  and  were  loaded  with  enormous  fruit.  The  subject  may  be 
summed  up  by  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Alexander  Hyde  to  the 
New  York  Times  : 

"  Nitrates,  phosphates  and  ammonia  are  good  fertilizers,  and  just  the  chemicals 
which  most  lands  need,  but  plants  require  a  good  bed  as  well  as  good  food.  The 
physical  condition  of  the  soil,  as  well  as  the  chemical,  must  receive  attention,  and 
we  know  of  nothing  superior  to  a  well-made  compost  for  furnishing  both  the  chemi- 
cal and  physical  conditions  necessary  for  the  development  of  our  crops." 


H 


CHAPTER   XI. 


OBTAINING   PLANTS   AND    IMPROVING   OUR    STOCK. 


AVING  prepared  and  enriched  our  ground,  we  are  ready  for  the 
plants.  They  can  often  be  obtained  from  a  good  neighbor  whose 
beds  we  have  watched  across  the  fence,  and  whose  varieties  we  have 
sampled  to  our  satisfaction.  But  the  most  liberal  neighbors  may  not  be  able 
to  furnish  all  we  need,  or  the  kinds  we  wish.  Moreover,  in  private  gardens, 
names  and  varieties  are  usually  in  a  sad  tangle.  We  must  go  to  the 
nurseryman.  At  this  point,  perhaps,  a  brief  appeal  to  the  reader's 
common  sense  may  save  much  subsequent  loss  and  disappointment. 

In  most  of  our  purchases,  we  see  the  article  before  we  take  it,  and  can 
estimate  its  value.  Just  the  reverse  is  usually  true  of  plants.  We  know 
— or  believe — that  certain  varieties  are  valuable,  and  we  order  them  from 
a  distance,  paying  in  advance.  When  received,  the  most  experienced 
cannot  be  sure  that  the  plants  are  true  to  the  names  they  bear.  We 
must  plant  them  in  our  carefully  prepared  land,  expend  upon  them  money, 
labor,  and,  above  all,  months  and  years  of  our  brief  lives,  only  to  learn, 
perhaps,  that  the  varieties  are  not  what  we  ordered,  and  that  we  have 
wasted  everything  on  a  worthless  kind.  The  importance  of  starting  right, 
therefore,  can  scarcely  be  overestimated.  It  is  always  best  to  buy  of  men 
who,  in  the  main,  grow  their  own  stock,  and  therefore  know  about  it,  and 
who  have  established  a  reputation  for  integrity  and  accuracy.  The 
itinerant  agent  flits  from  Maine  to  California,  and  too  often  the  marvelous 
portraits  of  fruits  that  he  exhibits  do  not  even  resemble  the  varieties 

84 


Obtaining  Plants  and  Improving  our  Stock.  85 

whose  names  they  bear.  It  is  best  to  buy  of  those  who  have  a  "  local 
habitation  and  a  name,"  and  then,  if  anything  is  wrong,  one  knows  where 
to  look  for  redress. 

Even  if  one  wishes  to  be  accurate,  it  is  difficult  to  know  that  one's 
stock  is  absolutely  pure  and  true  to  name.  The  evil  of  mixed  plants  is 
more  often  perpetuated  in  the  following  innocent  manner  than  by  any 
intentional  deception :  For  instance,  one  buys  from  a  trustworthy  source, 
as  he  supposes,  a  thousand  4<  Monarch  "  strawberry  plants,  and  sets  them 
out  in  the  spring.  All  blossoms  should  be  picked  off  the  first  year,  and, 
therefore,  there  can  be  no  fruit  as  a  test  of  purity  that  season.  But  by 
fall  there  are  many  thousands  of  young  plants.  The  grower  naturally 
says :  "  I  bought  these  for  the  Monarch,  therefore  they  are  Monarchs," 
and  he  sells  many  plants  as  such.  When  coming  into  fruit  the  second 
summer,  he  finds,  however,  that  not  one  in  twenty  is  a  Monarch  plant. 
As  an  honest  man,  he  now  digs  them  under  in  disgust ;  but  the  mischief 
has  already  been  done,  and  scattered  throughout  the  country  are 
thousands  of  mixed  plants  which  multiply  with  the  vigor  of  evil. 
Nurserymen  should  never  take  varieties  for  granted,  no  matter  where 
obtained.  I  endeavor  so  to  train  my  eye  that  I  can  detect  the  distin- 
guishing marks  even  in  the  foliage  and  blossoms,  and  if  anything  looks 
suspicious  I  root  it  out  The  foliage  of  the  Monarch  of  the  West  is  so 
distinct  that  if  one  learns  to  know  it  he  can  tell  whether  his  plants  are 
mixed  at  a  glance. 

If  possible,  the  nurseryman  should  start  with  plants  that  he  knows  to  be 
genuine,  and  propagate  from  them.  Then,  by  constant  and  personal  vigi- 
lance, he  can  maintain  a  stock  that  will  not  be  productive  chiefly  of  pro- 
fanity when  coming  into  fruit.  This  scrutiny  of  propagating  beds  is  a 
department  that  I  shall  never  delegate  to  any  one  else. 

It  is  not  thrift  to  save  in  the  first  cost  of  plants,  if  thereby  the  risk  of 
obtaining  poor,  mixed  varieties  is  increased.  I  do  not  care  to  save  five 
dollars  to-day  and  lose  fifty  by  the  operation  within  a  year.  A  gentleman 
wrote  to  me:  "  I  have  been  outrageously  cheated  in  buying  plants."  On 
the  same  page  he  asked  me  to  furnish  stock  at  rates  as  absurdly  low  as 
those  of  the  man  who  cheated  him.  If  one  insists  on  having  an  article  at 
far  less  than  the  cost  of  production,  it  is  not  strange  that  he  finds  some  who 
will  "cheat  him  outrageously."  I  find  it  by  far  the  cheapest  in  the  long 
run  to  go  to  the  most  trustworthy  sources,  and  pay  the  grower  a  price 
which  enables  him  to  give  me  just  what  I  want 

When  plants  are  both  fine  and  genuine  they  can  still  be  spoiled,  or,  at 
least,  injured  in  transit  from  the  ground  where  they  grew.  Dig  so  as  to 


86 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


save  all  the  roots,  shake  these  clean  of  earth,  straighten  them  out,  and  tie 
the  plants  into  bundles  of  fifty.  Pack  in  boxes,  with  the  roots  down  in 
moss  and  the  tops  exposed  to  the  air.  Do  not  press  them  in  too  tightly  or 
make  them  too  wet,  or  else  the  plants  become  heated — a  process  which 
speedily  robs  them  of  all  vitality.  In  cool  seasons,  and  when  the  distance 
is  not  too  great,  plants  can  be  shipped  in  barrels  thickly  perforated  with 
holes.  The  tops  should  be  toward  the  sides  and  the  roots  in  the  center, 
down  through  which  there  should  be  a  circulation  of  air.  In  every  case, 

envelop  the  roots  in  damp  moss 
or  leaves  —  damp,  but  not  wet. 
Plants  can  be  sent  by  mail  at  the 
rate  of  one  cent  per  ounce,  and 
those  obtained  in  this  way  rarely 
fail  in  doing  well. 

This  fact  should  be  carefully 
kept  in  mind  by  those  residing 
long  distances  from  express 
offices,  or  the  points  from  which 
they  wish  to  order  their  plants. 
Packages  weighing  four  pounds 
and  less  can  be  sent  by  mail  and 
received  with  our  letters,  and  by 
a  little  inquiry  and  calculation  it 
may  be  found  the  cheapest  and 
most  convenient  way  of  obtaining 
them.  I  find  no  difficulty  in 
mailing  all  the  small  fruit  plants  to  every  part  of  the  continent 

The  greater  part  of  the  counting  and  packing  of  plants  should  be  done 
in  a  cellar,  or  some  place  of  low,  even  temperature,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
little  fibrous  roots,  on  which  the  future  growth  so  greatly  depends,  from 
becoming  shriveled.  The  best  part  of  the  roots  are  extremely  sensitive  to 
sunlight  or  frost,  and,  worse  than  all,  to  a  cold,  dry  wind.  Therefore,  have 
the  plants  gathered  up  as  fast  as  they  are  dug  and  carried  to  a  damp,  cool 
room,  where  the  temperature  varies  but  little.  From  such  a  place  they 
can  be  packed  and  shipped  with  the  leisure  that  insures  careful  work. 

After  having  obtained  good  genuine  plants  to  start  with,  we  can 
greatly  improve  our  stock  by  a  system  of  careful  selection.  This  is  a 
truth  of  great  importance,  but  so  obvious  that  we  need  not  dwell  long 
upon  it  Let  me  illustrate  what  I  mean  by  the  course  I  propose  to  enter 
upon  during  the  coming  season.  In  our  beds  of  each  variety  there  will  be 


Counting  and  Mailing  Plants. 


Obtaining  Plants  and  Improving  our  Stock.  87 

a  few  plants  that,  for  some  reason,  will  surpass  all  the  others  in  vigor,  pro- 
ductiveness, and  especially  in  the  manifestation  of  the  peculiar  and  distin- 
guishing traits  of  the  variety.  I  shall  carefully  mark  such  plants,  remove 
all  others  from  their  vicinity,  and  propagate  from  them.  Thus,  in  the 
course  of  two  or  three  years,  I  shall  renew  my  entire  stock  of  standard 
varieties  from  the  very  best  and  most  characteristic  specimens  of  each  kind. 
From  this  improved  stock  the  best  types  should  be  chosen  again  and  again ; 
and  by  this  course  I  am  satisfied  that  a  surprising  degree  of  excellence 
can  be  attained.  It  is  on  the  same  principle  of  careful  breeding  from 
blooded  and  perfect  animals.  From  very  many  localities  come  the  com- 
plaint that  Wilsons  and  other  fine  old  varieties  are  "  running  out."  How 
can  it  be  otherwise,  in  view  of  the  treatment  they  receive  and  the  careless 
way  in  which  they  are  propagated  ?  Even  when  unmixed,  they  are  usually 
the  enfeebled  children  of  degenerate  parents.  There  is  no  variety  in  the 
country  more  badly  mixed  than  the  Wilson,  and  the  trouble  often  arises 
from  wild  strawberries  creeping  in  among  them  from  the  edges  of  the 
field.  The  spurious  plants  are  taken  up  with  the  others,  and  the  mixture 
is  scattered  up  and  down  the  land.  The  same  is  true  with  other  varieties 
that  have  long  been  in  cultivation.  Indeed,  I  have  found  mixtures  in  new 
varieties  obtained  directly  from  the  originators.  Therefore  the  need  that 
the  plant  grower  should  give  personal  and  unceasing  vigilance  to  the  stock 
from  which  he  propagates,  and  that  those  who  take  a  pride  in  improving 
their  stock  should  often  scan  their  beds  narrowly.  Moreover,  if  a  bed 
stands  several  years  in  the  same  place,  new  seedlings  may  spring  up,  and 
thus  create  a  mixture. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


WHEN   SHALL   WE   PLANT? 


NATURE  has  endowed  the  strawberry  plant  with  the  power  of 
taking  root  and  growing  readily  at  almost  any  season  when  young 
plants  can  be  obtained.  My  best  success,  however,  has  been  in  November 
and  early  spring.  The  latter  part  of  May  and  the  month  of  June  is  the 
only  time  at  which  I  have  not  planted  with  satisfactory  results.  In 
Northern  latitudes,  early  spring  is  preferable,  for  at  this  season  the  ground 
is  moist,  showers  are  abundant,  and  the  impulse  of  growth  is  strong. 
The  weather  is  cool,  also,  and  therefore  the  plants  rarely  heat  or  dry  out 
during  transportation. 

In  the  South,  autumn  is  by  far  the  best  time  to  plant.  When  the 
young  plants  are  grown  on  the  same  place,  they  may  be  transferred  to 
the  fruiting  beds  and  fields  any  time  between  July  and  the  middle  of 
November.  The  earlier  they  are  set  out,  if  they  can  be  kept  growing 
during  the  remainder  of  the  hot  season,  the  larger  will  be  the  yield  the 
following  spring.  As  a  rule,  plants,  unless  grown  in  pots,  cannot  be 
shipped  from  the  North  to  the  South  until  cool  weather.  The  forward- 
ing to  the  latitude  of  Richmond  begins  in  September,  and  to  points 
farther  south  in  October  and  November  ;  from  Florida  to  Louisiana  I 
hear  of  almost  unvarying  success. 

Of  late  years,  the  practice  of  growing  plants  in  pots  and  sending 
them  out  as  the  florists  do  flowers  has  become  very  prevalent.  These 
potted  plants  can  be  set  out  in  July,  August  and  September;  and  the 

88 


When  shall  we  Plant  f 


89 


ball  of  earth  clinging  to  their  roots  prevents  wilting,  and,  unless  they 
are  neglected,  insures  their  living.  Pot-grown  plants  are  readily  obtained 
by  sinking  two  and  a  half  or  three-inch  pots  up  to  their  rims  in  the 
propagating-beds,  and  filling  them  with  rich  earth  mingled  with  old 


Potting  Runners. 

thoroughly  rotted  compost,  leaf  mold,  decayed  sods,  etc.,  but  never  with 
fresh,  unfermented  manure.  I  have  found  the  admixture  of  a  little  fine 
bone  meal  with  the  soil  to  be  strong  aid  to  vigorous  growth.  The 
young  runners  are  then  so  guided  and  held  down  by  a  small  stone  or  lump 
of  earth  that  they  will  take  root  in  the  pots.  Indeed,  quite  large  plants, 
If  still  attached  to  thrifty  runners,  may  be  taken  up,  their  roots  shortened 
to  one-quarter  of  an  inch,  and  these  inserted  in  the  little  pots,  which  will 
be  speedily  filled  with  a  new  growth  of  roots.  It  is  very  important 
that  abundant  and  continuous  moisture  should  be  maintained.  A  hot 
wind  or  a  scorching  sun  will  dry  out  within  a  few  hours  the  small 
amount  of  earth  the  pots  contain,  and  the  plants  thus  receive  a  check 
from  which  they  may  never  recover.  The  amateur  should  watch  them 
closely,  and  the  plant  grower  should  employ  a  man  with  the  clear 
12 


9O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

understanding  that  he  would  lose  his  position  if  he  permitted  moisture 
to  fail  even  for  half  a  day. 

In  about  two  weeks,  with  good  management,  the  plants  will  fill  the 
pots  with  roots,  which  so  interlace  as  to  hold  the  ball  of  earth  compactly 
together  during  transportation.  This  ball  of  earth,  with  the  roots,  sepa- 
rates readily  from  the  pot,  and  the  plant,  thus  sustained,  could  be  shipped 
around  the  world  if  kept  from  drying  out  and  the  foliage  protected  from  the 
effects  of  alternate  heat  and  cold.  The  agricultural  editor  of  the  New  York 
Weekly  Times  writes  me  that  the  potted  plants  are  worth  their  increased 
cost,  if  for  no  other  reason,  because  they  are  so  easily  planted  in  hot 
weather. 

The  chief  advantage  of  summer  planting  lies  in  the  fact  that  we  obtain 
a  good  crop  the  following  season,  while  plants  set  out  in  spring  should  not 

be  permitted  to  bear  at  all 
the  same  year.  If  we  discover 
in  May  or  June  that  our  supply 
is  insufficient,  or  that  some  new 
varieties  offer  us  paradisaical 
flavors,  we  can  set  out  the 

A  Potted  Plant.  plants  in  the  summer  or  autumn 

of  the    same  year,    and    within 

eight  or  ten  months  gather  the  fruits  of  our  labors.  If  the  season  is 
somewhat  showery,  or  if  one  is  willing  to  take  the  trouble  to  water  and 
shade  the  young  plants,  ordinary  layers — that  is,  plants  that  have  grown 
naturally  in  the  open  ground — will  answer  almost  as  well  as  those  that 
have  been  rooted  in  pots.  The  fact  that  they  do  not  cost  half  as  much  is- 
also  in  their  favor. 

The  disposition  to  plant  in  summer  or  autumn  is  steadily  increasing, 
and  the  following  reasons  are  good  and  substantial  ones  for  the  practice. 
In  our  gardens  and  fields  there  are  many  crops  that  mature  in  July, 
August  and  September.  The  cultivation  of  these  crops  has  probably  left 
the  ground  mellow,  and  in  good  condition  for  strawberries.  Instead  of 
leaving  this  land  idle,  or  a  place  for  weeds  to  grow  and  seed,  it  can  be 
deeply  forked  or  plowed,  and  enriched,  as  has  been  explained.  Even  in 
July,  potted  plants  may  be  bought,  and  unless  the  ground  is  full  of  the 
larvae  of  the  June  beetle,  or  the  plants  are  treated  with  utter  neglect,  not 
one  in  a  hundred  will  fail.  Say  the  plants  cost  us  two  and  a  half  cents 
each,  by  the  time  they  are  planted,  instead  of  one-half  to  one  cent  as  in 
the  spring,  is  there  not  a  prospect  of  an  equal  or  larger  profit  ?  A  potted 
plant  set  out  in  summer  or  early  autumn,  and  allowed  to  make  no  runners, 


When  shall  we  Plant  f  91 

will  yield  at  least  a  pint  of  fruit;  and  usually  these  first  berries  are 
very  large  and  fine,  bringing  the  best  prices.  Suppose,  however,  we  are 
able  to  obtain  but  ten  cents  a  quart,  you  still  have  a  margin  of  two  and 
one-half  cents  on  each  plant.  Adding  two  cents  to  the  cost  of  each 
plant  to  cover  the  expense  of  cultivation,  winter  protection,  spring  mulch- 
ing, picking,  etc.,  there  still  remains  a  profit  of  half  a  cent  on  each  plant. 
Supposing  we  have  an  acre  containing  14,520  plants,  our  estimate  gives  a 
profit  of  $72.60  for  the  first  year.  If  we  clear  but  a  quarter  of  a  cent  on  each 
plant,  we  have  a  profit  of  $36.30.  The  prospects  are,  however,  that  if 
we  plant  early  in  the  summer,  on  rich  ground,  and  give  good  cultivation, 
our  plants  will  yield  more  than  a  pint  each,  and  the  fruit  sell  for  more 
than  ten  cents  a  quart 

This  estimate  applies  to  the  common  market  varieties  raised  with  only 
ordinary  skill  and  success.  Suppose,  in  contrast,  one  plants  the  large, 
showy,  high-flavored  varieties,  and  is  able  to  obtain  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
cents  per  quart.  The  expens.es  in  this  case  are  no  greater,  while  the 
profits  are  very  largely  increased. 

Good  potted  plants  can  be  bought  for  about  $2.50  per  100,  or  $20 
per  2,000.  I  do  not  think  that  they  can  be  properly  grown  and  sold 
at  much  lower  rates  and  afford  a  living  profit.  Freight  and  express 
charges  are  a  heavy  item  of  expense,  since  the  earth  encasing  the 
roots  renders  the  packages  very  heavy,  and  but  comparatively  few 
plants  can  be  shipped  in  one  box.  But,  allowing  for  all  expenses,  I  think 
it  is  evident  that  people  can  obtain  a  fair  profit  from  potted  plants  within 
eight  or  ten  months  from  the  time  of  planting.  Moreover,  autumn-set 
plants  start  with  double  vigor  in  early  spring,  and  make  a  fine  growth 
before  the  hot,  dry  weather  checks  them  ;  and  the  crop  from  them  the 
second  year  will  be  the  very  best  that  they  are  capable  of  producing. 
Two  paying  crops  are  thus  obtained  within  two  years,  and  the  cost  of  cul- 
tivation the  first  year  is  slight,  for  the  plants  are  set  after  the  great  impulse 
of  annual  weed  growth  is  past.  With  spring-set  plants  you  get  but  one 
crop  in  two  years.  The  first  year  yields  nothing  unless  plants  are  sold, 
and  yet  the  cultivation  must  be  unceasing  through  May,  June  and  July, 
when  Nature  seems  to  give  no  little  thought  to  the  problem  of  how  many 
weeds  can  be  grown  to  the  square  inch.  If  one  wishes  early  plants,  he 
certainly  should  practice  autumn  planting,  for  a  plant  set  even  in  Novem- 
ber will  begin  to  make  runners  nearly  a  month  earlier  than  one  set  in 
spring. 

Thus  far  we  have  looked  at  the  subject  from  a  business  stand-point. 

Those   who  wish    plants   for  the   home  supply  certainly  should   not 


92  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

hesitate  to  furnish  their  gardens  as  early  in  the  summer  as  possible.  To 
wait  two  years  of  our  short  lives  for  strawberries  because  the  plants 
are  a  little  cheaper  in  the  spring  is  a  phase  of  economy  that  suggests, 
the  moon.  Such  self-denial  in  a  good  cause  would  be  heroic. 

If  people  will  use  a  little  forethought,  they  can  practice  summer  and 
autumn  planting  with  double  success,  independently  of  the  plant  grower. 
We  have  shown  that  there  is  no  mystery  in  raising  potted  plants.  More- 
over, in  the  hottest  summers  there  are  showery,  cloudy  days  when 
ordinary  layer  plants  can  be  set  with  perfect  safety.  If  the  field  or 
garden  bed  is  near  where  the  layer  plants  are  growing,  the  latter  can  be 
taken  up  with  earth  clinging  to  their  roots,  and  thus  have  all  the  advantages 
of  potted  plants.  Even  under  the  Southern  sun,  hundreds  of  acres  are,  in 
this  manner,  set  annually  in  the  vicinity  of  Charleston. 

As  the  autumn  grows  cool  and  moist,  layer  plants  can  be  obtained 
from  a  distance  and  set  out  profitably  in  large  quantities.  The  chief 
danger  in  late  planting  results  from  the  tendency  of  the  plants  to  be 
thrown  out  of  the  ground  by  the  action  of  the  frost,  and  a  few  varieties 
do  not  seem  sufficiently  hardy  to  endure  severe  cold.  I  obviate  this, 
difficulty  by  simply  hoeing  upon  the  plants  two  inches  of  earth,  just 
before  the  ground  freezes  in  November  or  December.  This  winter  cover- 
ing of  soil  enables  me  to  plant  with  entire  success  at  any  time  in  the 
fall — even  late  in  November — instead  of  spring,  when  there  is  a  rush  of 
work.  The  earth  is  raked  off  the  plants  in  March  or  April,  as  soon  as 
severe  freezing  weather  is  over ;  otherwise  they  would  decay.  Do  not 
first  put  manure  on  the  plants  and  then  cover  with  earth  —  cover  with 
earth  only, 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  each  period  has  its  advantages,  which  will 
vary  with  different  seasons.  If  drought  and  heat  come  in  early  May, 
spring-set  plants  may  suffer  badly.  Again,  periods  in  summer  and 
autumn  may  be  so  hot  and  dry  that  even  potted  plants  can  only  be  kept 
alive  by  repeated  waterings.  My  practice  is  to  divide  my  plantings  about 
equally  between  summer,  fall,  and  spring.  I  thus  take  no  chances  of 
failure. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


WHAT     SHALL     WE     PLANT?  —  VARIETIES,     THEIR      CHARACTER      AND 

ADAPTATION   TO    SOILS. 

I  HAVE  in  my  library  an  admirable  little  treatise  written  by  the  late  R. 
G.  Pardee  and  printed  twenty-five  years  ago.  While  the  greater  part 
of  what  he  says,  relating  to  the  requirements  of  the  plant  and  its  culture, 
is  substantially  correct,  his  somewhat  extended  list  of  varieties  is  almost 
wholly  obsolete.  With  the  exception  of  Hovey's  Seedling,  scarcely  one 
can  be  found  in  a  modern  catalogue.  Even  carefully  prepared  lists,  made 
at  a  much  later  date,  contain  the  names  of  but  few  kinds  now  seen  in  the 
garden  or  market.  I  have  before  me  the  catalogue  of  Prince  &  Co., 
published  in  1865,  and  out  of  their  list  of  169  varieties  but  three  are  now 
in  general  cultivation,  and  the  great  majority  are  utterly  unknown.  Thus 
it  would  seem  that  a  catalogue  soon  becomes  historical,  and  that  the 
kinds  most  heralded  to-day  may  exist  only  in  name  but  a  few  years  hence. 
The  reasons  can  readily  be  given.  The  convex  heart  of  every  strawberry 
blossom  will  be  found  to  consist  of  pistils,  and  usually  of  stamens  ranged 
around  them.  When  both  stamens  and  pistils  are  found  in  the  same 
blossom,  as  is  the  case  with  most  varieties,  it  is  called  a  perfect  flower, 
or  staminate.  In  rare  instances,  strawberry  flowers  are  found  which 
possess  stamens  without  pistils,  and  these  are  called  male  blossoms ;  far 
more  often  varieties  exist  producing  pistils  only,  and  they  are  named 
pistillate  kinds.  Either  of  the  last  two  if  left  alone  would  be  barren  ;  the 
male  flowers  are  always  so,  but  the  pistillate  or  female  flowers,  if  fertilized 
with  pollen  from  perfect-flowered  plants,  produce  fruit  This  fertilizing  is 
effected  by  the  agency  of  the  wind,  or  by  insects  seeking  honey. 

93 


94  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

The  ovule  in  the  ovarium  to  which  the  stigma  leads  represents,  at 
maturity,  a  seed, — the  actual  fruit  of  the  strawberry, — and  within  each  seed 
Nature,  by  a  subtle  process  of  her  own,  wraps  up  some  of  the  qualities  of 
the  plant  that  produced  the  seed  and  some  of  the  qualities  also  of  the  plant 
from  which  came  the  pollen  that  impregnated  the  ovule.  This  seed,  planted, 
produces  an  entirely  new  variety,  which,  as  a  rule,  exhibits  character- 
istics of  both  its  parents,  and  traits,  also,  of  its  grandparents  and  remote 
ancestors.  The  law  of  heredity  is  the  same  as  in  cattle  or  the  human 
race.  Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  millions  of  new  varieties  can  be  very 
easily  obtained.  A  single  plant-grower  often  raises  many  thousands  to 
which  he  never  gives  a  name,  by  reason  of  the  fact — noted  elsewhere 
than  in  the  fruit  garden — that  most  of  these  new  strawberries  in  no 
respect  surpass  or  even  equal  their  parents.  The  great  majority,  after 
fruiting, —  which  they  do  when  two  years  old, — are  thrown  away.  A  new 
variety  which  is  not  so  good  as  the  old  ones  from  which  it  came  should 
not  be  imposed  upon  the  public.  But  they  often  are,  sometimes  deliber- 
ately, but  far  more  often  for  other  reasons  ;  as,  for  instance,  through  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  possessor.  It  is  his  seedling ;  therefore*,  it  is  wonderful. 
He  pets  it  and  gives  it  extra  care,  to  which  even  very  inferior  varieties 
generously  respond. 

In  the  same  old  catalogue  to  which  I  have  referred,  Prince  &  Co. 
announce :  "  We  now  offer  a  few  of  our  superior  new  seedlings,  with 
descriptions,  and  there  is  not  an  acid  or  inferior  one  among  them. 
There  is  not  one  of  them  that  is  not  superior  to  all  the  seedlings  recently 
introduced."  Not  one  of  these  thirty-five  "  superior  seedlings,"  to  my 
knowledge,  is  now  in  cultivation.  They  have  disappeared  in  less  than 
fifteen  years,  and  yet  I  have  no  doubt  that  on  the  grounds  of  Prince 
&  Co.  they  gave  remarkable  promise. 

Again,  a  fruit  grower  sends  out  second  and  third  rate  kinds  from 
defective  knowledge.  He  has  not  judiciously  compared  his  petted  seed- 
lings with  the  superb  varieties  already  in  existence.  It  is  soon  discovered 
by  general  trial  that  the  vaunted  new-comers  are  not  so  good  as  the  old ; 
and  so  they  also  cease  to  be  cultivated,  leaving  only  a  name. 

The  editor  of  the  Rural  New  Yorker  has  adopted  a  course  which 
would  be  very  useful  indeed  to  the  public,  if  it  could  be  carried  out  in 
the  various  fruit-growing  centers  of  the  country.  He  obtains  a  few 
plants  of  every  new  variety  offered  for  sale,  and  tests  them  side  by  side, 
under  precisely  the  same  conditions,  reporting  the  results  in  his  paper. 
Such  records  of  experience  are  worth  any  amount  of  theory,  or  the  half- 
truths  of  those  who  are  acquainted  with  but  few  varieties.  I  tested  fifty 


Varieties,  their  Character  and  Adaptation  to  Soils. 


95 


Strawberry  Blossoms :  Perfect- 
Flowered  and  Pistillate. 


kinds    last    year    in    one    specimen-bed.      The 
plants    were    treated    precisely   alike,   and    per- 
mitted to    mature  all  their  fruit,    I    being   well 
content  to  let  eight  or  ten  bushels  go  to  waste 
in  order  to  see  just  what  each  variety  could  do. 
From  such  trial-beds  the  comparative  merits  of 
each    kind    can    be   seen  at   a    glance.      Highly 
praised  new-comers,  which  are  said  to  supersede 
everything,  must  show  what  they  are  and  can  do 
beside  the  old  standard  varieties  that  won  their  laurels  years  ago.     I  thus 
learn  that  but  few  can  endure  the  test,  and  occasionally  I  find  an  old  kind 
;  sent  out  with  a  new  name.     When  visiting  fruit  farms  in  New  Jersey  last 
summer,  I   was   urged   to  visit   a   small   place   on  which  was   growing  a 
wonderful  new  berry.     The  moment  I  saw  the  fruit  and  foliage,  I  recog- 
'nized  the  Col.   Cheney,   forced    into    unusual  luxuriance  by  very  favor- 
;  able  conditions.      Other  experienced  growers,  whose  attention  I  called  to 
the  distinguishing  marks  of  this  variety,  agreed  with  me  at  once ;  but  the 
proprietor,  who  probably  had  never  seen  the  Cheney  before  and  did  not 
know  where  the  plants  came  from,  thought  it  was  a  remarkable  new  variety, 
j  and  as   such   it  might  have  been  honestly  sent  out.     Trial-beds  at  once 
detect  the  old   kinds   with  new  names,   and    thus   may   save   the  public 
from  a  vast  deal  of  imposition. 


96  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Such  beds  would  also  be  of  very  great  service  in  suggesting  the  varieties 
that  can  be  grown  with  profit  in  certain  localities.  While  the  behavior  of 
different  kinds  differs  greatly  in  varying  soils  and  latitudes,  there  is  no  such 
arbitrary  mystery  in  the  matter  as  many  imagine.  I  am  satisfied  that  the 
sorts  which  did  best  in  my  trial-bed  give  the  best  promise  of  success 
wherever  the  soil  and  climate  are  similar.  In  contrast,  let  a  trial-bed  be 
made  on  a  light  soil  in  Delaware  or  Virginia,  and  100  varieties  be  planted. 
Many  that  are  justly  favorites  in  our  locality  would  there  shrivel  and  burn, 
proving  valueless ;  but  those  that  did  thrive  and  produce  well,  exhibiting  a 
power  to  endure  a  Southern  sun  and  to  flourish  in  sand,  should  be  the 
choice  for  all  that  region.  To  the  far  South  and  North,  and  in  the 
extremes  of  the  East  and  West,  trial-beds  would  give  still  varying  results ; 
but  such  results  would  apply  to  the  soils  and  climate  of  the  region  if 
proper  culture  were  given.  A  horse  can  be  mismanaged  on  a  Kentucky 
stock-farm,  and  there  are  those  who  would  have  ill  luck  with  strawberries  in 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  they  are  so  skillful  and  persistent  in  doing  the  wrong 
thing.  It  would  well  remunerate  large  planters  to  maintain  trial-beds  of 
all  the  small  fruits,  and  their  neighbors  could  afford  to  pay  well  for  the 
privilege  of  visiting  them  and  learning  the  kinds  adapted  to  their  locality. 

I  think  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  general  truth,  that  those  kinds  which 
do  well  on  a  light  soil  in  one  locality  tend  to  do  well  on  such  soils  in  all 
localities.  The  same  •  principle  applies  to  those  requiring  heavy  land. 
There  will  be  exceptions,  and  but  few  of  those  containing  foreign  blood 
will  thrive  in  the  far  South. 

In  the  brief  limits  of  this  chapter  I  shall  merely  offer  suggestions  and 
the  results  of  some  experience,  premising  that  I  give  but  one  man's 
opinion,  and  that  all  have  a  right  to  differ  from  me.  At  the  close  of  this 
volume  may  be  found  more  accurate  descriptions  of  the  varieties  that  I 
have  thought  worth  naming. 

Among  the  innumerable  candidates  for  favor,  here  and  there  one  will 
establish  itself  by  persistent  well-doing  as  a  standard  sort.  We  then 
learn  that  some  of  these  strawberry  princes,  like  the  Jucunda,  Triomphe 
de  Gand,  and  President  Wilder,  flourish  only  in  certain  soils  and  latitudes, 
while  others,  like  the  Charles  Downing,  Monarch  of  the  West,  and  Wil- 
son, adapt  themselves  to  almost  every  condition  and  locality.  Varieties 
of  this  class  are  superseded  very  slowly  ;  but  it  would  seem,  with  the 
exception  of  Wilson's  Albany,  that  the  standards  of  one  generation  have 
not  been  the  favorites  of  the  next.  The  demand  of  our  age  is  for  large 
fruit.  The  demand  has  created  a  supply,  and  the  old  standard  varieties 
have  given  way  to  a  new  class,  of  which  the  Monarch  and  Seth  Boyden 


Varieties,  their  Character  and  Adaptation  to  Soils.  97 

are  types.  The  latest  of  these  new  mammoth  berries  is  the  Sharpless, 
originated  by  Mr.  J.  K.  Sharpless,  of  Catawissa,  Pa.  ;  and  the  life-size 
engraving  of  a  cluster  gives  a  vivid  impression  of  the  great  progress  made 
since  horticulturists  first  began  to  develop  the  wild  F.  Virginiana  by 
crossing  varieties  and  by  cultivation. 

The  most  accurate  and  extended  list  of  varieties  with  which  I  am 
acquainted  is  to  be  found  in  Downing's  "  Encyclopaedia  of  Fruits  and 
Fruit  Trees  of  America."  It  contains  the  names,  with  their  synonyms, 
and  the  descriptions  of  over  250  kinds,  and  to  this  I  refer  the  reader. 

The  important  question  to  most  minds  is  not  how  many  varieties 
exist,  but  what  kinds  will  give  the  best  returns.  If  one  possesses  the 
deep,  rich,  moist  loam  that  has  been  described,  almost  any  good  variety 
will  yield  a  fair  return,  and  the  best  can  be  made  to  give  surprising 
results.  For  table  use  and  general  cultivation,  north  and  south,  east  and 
west,  I  would  recommend  the  Charles  Downing,  Monarch  of  the  West,  Seth 
Boyden,  Kentucky  Seedling,  Duchess,  and  Golden  Defiance.  These 
varieties  are  all  first-rate  in  quality,  and  they  have  shown  a  wonderful 
adaptation  to  varied  soils  and  climates.  They  have  been  before  the  public 
a  number  of  years,  and  have  persistently  proved  their  excellence.  There- 
fore, they  are  worthy  of  a  place  in  every  garden.  With  these  valuable 
varieties  for  our  chief  supply,  we  can  try  a  score  of  other  desirable  kinds, 
retaining  such  as  prove  to  be  adapted  to  our  taste  and  soil. 

If  our  land  is  heavy,  we  can  add  to  the  above,  in  Northern  latitudes, 
Triomphe  de  Gand,  Jucunda,  President  Wilder,  Forest  Rose,  President 
Lincoln,  Sharpless,  Pioneer,  and  Springdale. 

If  the  soil  is  light,  containing  a  large  proportion  of  sand  and  gravel, 
the  Charles  Downing,  Kentucky  Seedling,  Monarch  of  the  West,  Duchess, 
Cumberland  Triumph,  Miner's  Prolific,  Golden  Defiance,  and  Sharpless 
will  be  almost  certain  to  yield  a  fine  supply  of  large  and  delicious  berries, 
both  North  and  South. 

Let  me  here  observe  that  varieties  that  do  well  on  light  soils  also 
thrive  equally  well  and  often  better  on  heavy  land.  But  the  converse  is 
not  true.  The  Jucunda,  for  instance,  can  scarcely  be  made  to  exist  on 
light  land.  In  the  South,  it  should  be  the  constant  aim  to  find  varieties 
whose  foliage  can  endure  the  hot  sun.  I  think  that  the  Sharpless,  which 
is  now  producing  a  great  sensation  as  well  as  mammoth  berries,  will  do 
well  in  most  Southern  localities.  It  maintained  throughout  the  entire 
summer  the  greenest  and  most  vigorous  foliage  I  ever  saw.  Miner's  Pro- 
lific, Golden  Defiance,  Early  Hudson,  and  Cumberland  Triumph  also 
appear  to  me  peculiarly  adapted  to  Southern  cultivation. 
13 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


Sharpless  Seedling  and  Wild  Strawberry. 


Varieties,  their  Character  and  Adaptation  to  Soils.  99 

As  we  go  north,  the  difficulties  of  choice  are  not  so  great.  Coolness 
and  moisture  agree  with  the  strawberry  plant.  There  the  question  of 
hardiness  is  to  be  first  considered.  In  regions,  however,  where  the  snow 
falls  early  and  covers  the  ground  all  winter,  the  strawberry  is  not  so 
exposed  as  with  us,  for  our  gardens  are  often  bare  in  zero  weather.  Usu- 
ally, it  is  not  the  temperature  of  the  air  that  injures  a  dormant  strawberry 
plant,  but  alternations  of  freezing  and  thawing.  The  deep  and  unmelting 
snows  often  enable  the  horticulturist  to  raise  successfully  in  Canada  tender 
fruits  that  would  "winter-kill"  much  farther  south.  If  abundant  protec- 
tion is  therefore  provided,  either  by  nature  or  by  art,  the  people  of  the 
North  can  take  their  choice  from  among  the  best.  In  the  high  latitudes, 
early  kinds  will  be  in  request,  since  the  season  of  growth  is  brief.  The 
best  early  berries  are  Duchess,  Bidwell,  Pioneer,  Early  Hudson,  Black 
Defiance,  Duncan,  Durand's  Beauty,  and,  earliest  of  all,  Crystal  City. 
The  last-named  ripened  first  on  my  place  in  the  summer  of  1879,  and 
although  the  fruit  is  of  medium  size,  and  rather  soft,  I  fear,  the  plant  is 
so  vigorous  and  easily  grown  that  I  think  it  is  worth  general  trial  North 
and  South.  I  am  informed  that  it  promises  to  take  the  lead  in  Missouri. 


MARKET    STRAWBERRIES. 

Thus  far  I  have  named  those  kinds  whose  fine  flavor  and  beauty  entitle 
them  to  a  place  in  the  home  garden.  But  with  a  large  class,  market 
qualities  are  more  worthy  of  consideration ;  and  this  phase  of  the  question 
introduces  us  to  some  exceedingly  popular  varieties  not  yet  mentioned. 
The  four  great  requirements  of  a  market  strawberry  are  productiveness, 
size,  a  good,  bright  color,  and  —  that  it  may  endure  long  carriage  and 
rough  handling — firmness.  Because  of  the  indifference  of  the  consumer, 
as  explained  in  an  earlier  chapter,  that  which  should  be  the  chief  consid- 
eration—  flavor — is  scarcely  taken  into  account.  In  the  present  unen- 
lightened condition  of  the  public,  one  of  the  oldest  strawberries  on  the 
list — Wilson's  Seedling — is  more  largely  planted  than  all  other  kinds 
together.  It  is  so  enormously  productive,  it  succeeds  so  well  throughout 
the  entire  country,  and  is  such  an  early  berry,  that,  with  the  addition  of 
its  fine  carrying  qualities,  it  promises  to  be  the  great  market  berry  for 
the  next  generation  also.  But  this  variety  is  not  at  all  adapted  to  thin, 
poor  land,  and  is  very  impatient  of  drought.  In  such  conditions,  the 
berries  dwindle  rapidly  in  size,  and  even  dry  up  on  the  vines.  Where 
abundant  fertility  and  moisture  can  be  maintained,  the  yield  of  a  £eld  of 


loo  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Wilsons  is  simply  marvelous.  On  a  dry  hill-side  close  by,  the  crop  from 
the  same  variety  may  not  pay  for  picking.  Plantations  of  Wilsons  should 
be  renewed  every  two  years,  since  the  plant  speedily  exhausts  itself,  pro- 
ducing smaller  berries  with  each  successive  season.  The  Wilson  is  perhaps 
the  best  berry  for  preserving,  since  it  is  hard  and  its  acid  is  rich  and  not 
watery. 

A  rival  of  the  Wilson  has  appeared  within  the  last  few  years, —  the 
Crescent  Seedling,  also  an  early  berry,  originated  by  Mr.  Parmalee,  of 
New  Haven,  Conn.  At  first,  it  received  unbounded  praise ;  now,  it  gets 
too  much  censure.  It  is  a  very  distinct  and  remarkable  variety,  and, 
like  the  Wilson,  I  think,  will  fill  an  important  place  in  strawberry  culture. 
Its  average  size  does  not  much  exceed  that  of  the  Wilson ;  its  flavor, 
when  fully  ripe,  is  about  equal  in  the  estimation  of  those  who  do  not 
like  acid  fruit.  In  productiveness,  on  many  soils,  it  will  far  exceed  any 
variety  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  It  is  just  this  capacity  for  growing 
on  thin,  poor  soils  —  anywhere  and  under  any  circumstances  —  that  gives 
to  it  its  chief  value.  In  hardiness  and  vitality,  it  is  almost  equal  to  the 
Canada  thistle.  The  young  plants  are  small,  and  the  foliage  is  slender 
and  delicate ;  but  they  have  the  power  to  live  and  multiply  beyond  that 
of  any  other  variety  I  have  seen.  It  thrives  under  the  suns  of  Georgia 
and  Florida,  and  cares  naught  for  the  cold  of  Canada ;  it  practically 
extends  the  domain  of  the  strawberry  over  the  continent,  and  renders 
the  laziest  man  in  the  land,  who  has  no  strawberries,  without  excuse. 
The  cut,  showing  one  foot  of  the  row  in  my  specimen-bed,  indicates 
its  productiveness.  One  of  my  beds  yielded  at  the  rate  of  346  bushels 
to  the  acre,  and  the  bright,  handsome  scarlet  of  the  berries  caused 
them  to  sell  for  as  much  in  the  open  market  as  varieties  of  far  better 
flavor.  It  is  too  soft  for  long  carriage  by  rail.  Those  to  whom  flavor 
and  large  size  are  the  chief  considerations  will  not  plant  it,  but  those  who 
have  a  near  and  not  very  fastidious  market,  that  simply  demands  quantity 
and  fine  appearance,  will  grow  it  both  largely  and  profitably.  The 
stamens  of  the  Crescent  are  so  imperfectly  developed  that  every  tenth 
row  in  the  field  should  be  Wilsons,  or  some  other  early  and  perfect- 
flowered  variety. 

In  the  Champion,  we  have  a  late  market  berry  that  is  steadily  growing 
in  favor.  On  rich,  moist  land  it  is  almost  as  productive  as  the  Crescent. 
The  fruit  averages  much  larger  than  the  Wilson,  while  its  rich  crimson 
color  makes  it  very  attractive  in  the  baskets.  The  berries,  like  the  two 
kinds  already  named,  turn  red  before  they  are  ripe,  and  in  this  immature 
condition  their  flavor  is  very  poor,  but  when  fully  ripe  they  are  excellent. 


101 


The  transformation  is  almost  as 
great  as  in  a  persimmon.  Under 
generous  culture,  the  Champion 
yields  superb  berries,  that  bring 
the  best  prices.  It  also  does 
better  than  most  kinds  under 
neglect  and  drought.  It  is  too 
soft  for  long  carriage,  and  its 
blossoms  are  pistillate. 

Within    a    few    years,    a    new 

variety  named  Windsor  Chief  has  been  disseminated,  and  the  enormous 
yield  of  17,000  quarts  per  acre  has  been  claimed  for  it.  It  is  said  to  be 
a  seedling  of  the  Champion  fertilized  with  the  Charles  Downing  variety. 
If  there  has  been  no  mistake  in  this  history  of  its  origin,  it  is  a  remarkable 


A  Row  of  Productive  Crescent  Seedlings. 


IO2  t\  ;  ;  •:  »i;  .« ^Si^ce^s  with  Small  Fruits. 

instance  of  the  reproduction  of  the  traits  of  one  parent  only,  for  in  no 
respect  have  I  been  able  thus  far  to  see  wherein  it  differs  from  the 
Champion. 

The  Captain  Jack  is  another  late  variety,  which  is  enormously  pro- 
ductive of  medium-sized  berries.  It  is  a  great  favorite  in  Missouri  and 
some  other  regions.  The  berries  carry  well  to  market,  but  their  flavor  is 
second-rate. 

The  good  size,  firmness,  and  lateness  of  the  Glendale — a  variety 
recently  introduced — will  probably  secure  for  it  a  future  as  a  market 
berry. 

In  the  South,  Neunan's  Prolific,  or  the  "  Charleston  Berry,"  as  it  is 
usually  called,  is  already  the  chief  variety  for  shipping.  It  is  an  aromatic 
berry,  and  very  attractive  as  it  appears  in  our  markets  in  March  and 
April,  but  it  is  even  harder  and  sourer  than  an  unripe  Wilson.  When 
fully  matured  on  the  vine,  it  is  grateful  to  those  who  like  an  acid  berry. 
Scarcely  any  other  kind  is  planted  around  Charleston  and  Savannah. 

These  six  varieties,  or  others  like  them,  will  supply  the  first  great 
need  of  all  large  markets  —  quantity.  With  the  exception  of  the  last, 
which  is  not  productive  in  the  North,  and  requires  good  treatment  even 
in  the  South,  they  yield  largely  under  rough  field  culture.  The  fruit 
can  be  sold  very  cheaply  and  yet  give  a  fair  profit.  Only  a  limited  num- 
ber of  fancy  berries  can  be  sold  at  fancy  prices,  but  thousands  of  bushels 
can  be  disposed  of  at  eight  and  ten  cents  per  quart. 

Still,  I  would  advise  any  one  who  is  supplying  the  market,  thoroughly 
to  prepare  and  enrich  an  acre  or  more  of  moist  but  well  drained  land, 
and  plant  some  of  the  large,  showy  berries,  like  the  Sharpless,  Monarch, 
and  Seth  Boyden.  If  he  has  heavy,  rich  soil,  let  him  also  try  the  Jucunda, 
President  Lincoln,  and,  especially,  the  Triomphe  de  Gand.  These  varie- 
ties always  have  a  ready  sale,  even  when  the  market  is  glutted  with  com- 
mon fruit,  and  they  often  command  very  high  prices.  When  the  soil 
suits  them,  they  frequently  yield  crops  that  are  not  so  far  below  the  Wil- 
son in  quantity.  Fifty  bushels  of  large,  handsome  berries  may  bring  as 
much,  or  more,  than  one  hundred  bushels  of  small  fruit,  while  the  labor 
and  expense  of  shipping  and  picking  are  reduced  one-half. 

I  suppose  that  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand,  of  Irvington,  N.  J.,  obtains  more 
money  from  one  acre  of  his  highly  cultivated  strawberries  than  do  many 
growers  from  ten  acres.  Mr.  H.  Jerolaman,  of  Hilton,  N.  J.,  has  given 
me  some  accurate  statistics  that  well  illustrate  my  meaning.  "  My  yield," 
he  writes,  in  1877,  "from  one  acre,  planted  chiefly  with  the  Seth  Boyden, 
was  327  bushels  15^  quarts,  which  were  sold  for  $1,386.21.  A  strict 


Market  Strawberries,  103. 

account  was  kept.  Since  that  time,  I  have  been  experimenting  with  Mr. 
Durand's  large  berries,  and  have  not  done  so  well.  In  1878,  I  obtained 
$1,181  from  one  acre,  one  half  planted  with  the  Seth  Boyden  and  the 
other  with  the  Great  American.  The  year  of  1879  was  my  poorest. 
Nearly  all  my  plants  were  Great  American  and  Beauty,  and  the  yield  .was 
121  bushels,  selling  for  $728.  The  average  cost  per  acre,  for  growing, 
picking,  marketing,  and  manure,  is  $350.  I  am  not  satisfied  but  that  I 
shall  have  to  return  to  the  old  Seth  Boyden  in  order  to  keep  taking  the 
first  State  premiums,  as  I  have  done  for  the  past  three  years." 

This  record  of  experience  shows  what  can  be  done  with  the  choice 
varieties  if  an  appreciative  market  is  within  reach,  and  one  will  give 
the  high  culture  they  demand.  Last  summer  a  neighbor  of  mine  obtained 
eighteen  cents  per  quart  for  his  Monarch  strawberries,  when  Wilsons 
brought  but  ten  cents.  At  the  same  time,  these  superb  varieties  often 
do  not  pay  at  all  under  poor  field  culture  and  in  matted  rows.  We  may 
also  note,  in  passing,  how  slowly  fine  old  standard  kinds,  like  the  Boy- 
den, are  superseded  by  new  varieties. 

I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised  if  the  Charles  Downing  became 
one  of  the  most  popular  market  strawberries  of  the  future.  It  is 
already  taking  the  lead  in  many  localities.  It  is  moderately  firm  — 
sufficiently  so,  with  a  little  extra  care,  to  reach  most  markets  in  good 
condition.  It  is  more  easily  raised  than  the  Wilson,  and  on  thin,  dry 
land  is  more  productive.  A  bed  will  last,  if  kept  clean,  four  or  five 
years  instead  of  two,  and  yield  better  the  fifth  year  than  the  first. 
Although  the  fruit  is  but  of  medium  size,  it  is  so  fine  in  flavor  that 
it  has  only  to  be  known  to  create  a  steady  demand.  The  Kentucky 
Seedling  is  another  berry  of  the  same  class,  and  has  the  same  general 
characteristics — with  this  exception,  that  it  is  a  very  late  berry.  In 
flavor,  it  is  melting  and  delicious.  It  does  well  on  almost  any  soil,  even  a 
light  and  sandy  one,  and  is  usually  very  productive.  These  two  old  stand- 
ard varieties  which  arch  the  title-page  might  also  arch  the  continent,  for 
they  bring  most  of  the  best  qualities  of  the  best  of  fruits  within  reach 
of  every  market  and  home  in  the  land. 

The  best  white  strawberry  I  have  ever  seen  is  Lennig's  White. 
When  exposed  to  the  sun,  it  has  a  decided  pink  flush  on  one  side.  It 
is  beautiful  and  delicious,  and  so  aromatic  that  a  single  berry  will  per- 
fume a  large  apartment.  The  fruit  is  exceedingly  delicate,  but  the  plant 
is  a  shy  bearer. 

In  the  White  and  Red  Alpines,  especially  the  ever-bearing  varieties, 
and  in  the  Hautbois  class,  we  have  very  distinct  strawberries  that  are  well. 


IO4  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

worthy  of  a  place  in  the  garden.  From  a  commercial  point  of  view, 
they  have  no  value.  This  may  settle  the  question  with  some,  but  not 
a  few  of  us  like  to  plant  many  things  that  are  never  to  go  to  market. 
In  conclusion,  if  I  were  asked  what  is  the  most  beautiful  and  delicious 
strawberry  in  existence,  I  should  name  the  President  Wilder.  Perfect 
in  flavor,  form  and  beauty,  it  seems  to  unite  in  one  exquisite  compound 
the  best  qualities  of  the  two  great  strawberry  species  of  the  world,  the 
F.  Virginiana  and  the  F.  Chilensis.  The  only  fault  that  I  have  ever 
discovered  is  that,  in  many  localities,  it  is  not  productive.  No  more 
do  diamonds  lie  around  like  cobble-stones.  It  is,  however,  fairly  pro- 
ductive under  good  culture  and  on  most  soils,  and  yet  it  is  possible 
that  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the  habitues  of  Delmonico's  has  ever 
tasted  it. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


SETTING   OUT   PLANTS. 


TT  7E  may  secure  good  plants  of  the  best  varieties,  but  if  we  do  not  set 
V  V  them  out  properly,  the  chances  are  against  our  success,  unless  the 
weather  is  very  favorable.  So  much  depends  on  a  right  start  in  life, 
even  in  a  strawberry  bed.  There  are  no  abstruse  difficulties  in  properly 
imbedding  a  plant.  One  would  think  that,  if  a  workman  gave  five 
minutes'  thought  and  observation  to  the  subject,  he  would  know  exactly 
how  to  do  it.  If  one  used  his  head  as  well  as  his  hands,  it  would  be 
perfectly  obvious  that  a  plant  held  (as  in  Figure  e)  with  its  roots  spread 
out  so  that  the  fresh,  moist  earth  could  come  in  contact  with  each  fiber, 
would  stand  a  far  better  chance  than  one  set  out  by  any  of  the  other 
methods  illustrated.  And  yet,  in  spite  of  all  I  can  do  or  say,  I  have  never 
been  able  to  prevent  very  many  of  my  plants  from  being  set  (as  in 
Figure  a)  too  deeply,  so  that  the  crown  and  tender  leaves  were  covered 
and  smothered  with  earth;  or  (as  in  Figure  b)  not  deeply  enough,  thus 
leaving  the  roots  exposed.  Many  others  bury  the  roots  in  a  long,  tangled 
bunch,  as  in  Figure  c.  If  one  would  observe  how  a  plant  starts  on  its 
new  career,  he  would  see  that  the  roots  we  put  in  the  ground  are  little 
more  than  a  base  of  operations.  All  along  their  length,  and  at  their 
ends,  little  white  rootlets  start,  if  the  conditions  are  favorable,  almost 
immediately.  If  the  roots  are  huddled  together,  so  that  only  a  few 
outside  ones  are  in  contact  with  the  life-giving  soil,  the  conditions  are, 
of  course,  most  unfavorable.  Again,  many  planters  are  guilty  of  the  folly 

H  105 


io6 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


illustrated  in  Figure  d.  They  hastily  scoop  out  a  shallow  hole,  in  which 
the  roots,  which  should  be  down  in  the  cool  depths  of  the  soil,  curve 
like  a  half-circle  toward  or  to  the  very  surface. 

In  the  most  favorable  weather  of  early  spring,  a  plant  is  almost  certain 
to  grow,  no  matter  how  greatly  abused,  but  even  then  it  does  far  better  if 


b  ft  if 

Wrong  Methods  of  Planting. 

treated  properly,  while  at  other  seasons  nature  cannot  be  stupidly  ignored. 
It  is  almost  as  easy  to  set  out  a  plant  correctly  as  otherwise.  Let  the 
excavation  be  made  deep  enough  to  put  the  roots,  spread  out  like  a  fan, 
down  their  whole  length  into  the  soil.  Hold  the  plant  with  the  left  hand, 
as  in  Figure  e.  First,  half  fill  the  hole  with  fine  rich  earth  with  the  right 
hand,  and  press  it  firmly  against  the  roots ;  next,  fill  it  evenly,  and  then, 
with  the  thumb  and  finger  of  both  hands,  put  your  whole  weight  on  the 
soil  on  each  side  of  the  plant — as  close  to  it  as  possible  —  and  press  until 
the  crown  or  point  from  which  the  leaves  start  is  just  even  with  the 
surface.  If  you  can  pull  the  plant  up  again  by  its  leaves,  it  is  not  firm 
enough  in  the  ground.  If  a  man  uses  brain  and  eye,  he  can  learn  to 

work  very  rapidly.  By  one  dexterous  movement, 
he  scoops  the  excavation  with  a  trowel.  By  a 
second  movement,  he  makes  the  earth  firm 
against  the  lower  half  of  the  roots.  By  a  third 
movement,  he  fills  the  excavation  and  settles  the 
plant  into  its  final  position.  One  workman  will 
often  plant  twice  as  many  as  another,  and  not 
work  any  harder.  Negro  women  at  Norfolk, 
Virginia,  paid  at  fifty  cents  per  day,  will  often 
set  two  or  three  thousand.  Many  northern 
laborers,  who  ask  more  than  twice  that  sum,  will  not  set  half  as  many 
plants.  I  have  been  told  of  one  man,  however,  who  could  set  1,000  per 
hour.  I  should  examine  his  work  carefully,  however,  in  the  fear  that  it 
was  not  well  done. 


The  Proper  Method. 


Setting  out  Plants. 


107 


If  the  ground  is  so  flat  that  water  lies  upon  it  in  wet  seasons,  then 
throw  it  up  into  beds  with  a  plow,  thus  giving  the  plants  a  broad,  level 
surface  on  which  to  grow ;  for  I  think  the  best  success  will  generally  be 
obtained  with  level  culture,  or  as  near  an  approach  to  it  as  possible. 

Always  make  it  a  point  to  plant  in  moist,  freshly  stirred  earth.  Never 
let  the  roots  come  in  contact  with  dry,  lumpy  soil.  Never  plant  when  the 
ground  is  wet  and  sticky,  unless  it  be  at  the  beginning  of  a  rain-storm 
which  bids  fair  to  continue  for  some  time.  If  sun  or  wind  strikes  land 
which  has  been  recently  stirred  while  it  is  too  wet,  the  hardness  of  mortar 
results. 

In  spring,  it  is  best  to  shorten  in  the  roots  one-third.  This  promotes 
a  rapid  growth  of  new  rootlets,  and  therefore  of  the  plants.  In  the  sum- 
mer ancl  fall,  the  young  plants  are  not  so  well  furnished  with  roots,  and 
usually  it  is  best  to  leave  them  uncut. 

It  often  happens  that  during  long  transportation  the  roots  become 
sour,  black,  and  even  a  little 
moldy.  In  this  case,  wash 
them  in  clean  water  from  which 
the  chill  has  been  taken.  Trim 
carefully,  taking  off  the  black- 
ened, shriveled  ends.  Sprinkle 
a  couple  of  table-spoonfuls  of 
fine  bone  meal  immediately 
about  the  plant  after  setting, 
and  then  water  it.  If  the 
weather  is  warm,  soak  the 
ground  and  keep  it  moist  until 
there  is  rain.  Never  let  a  plant 
falter  or  go  back  from  lack  of 
moisture. 

How  often  should  one  water? 
Often  enough  to  keep  the  ground  moist  all  the  time,  night  and 
day.  There  is  nothing  mechanical  in  taking  care  of  a  young  plant 
any  more  than  in  the  care  of  a  baby.  Simply  give  it  what  it  needs 
until  it  is  able  to  take  care  of  itself.  The  plant  may  require  a 
little  watching  and  attention  for  a  few  days  in  warm  weather.  If  an 
opportune  storm  comes,  the  question  of  growth  is  settled  favorably  at 
once  ;  but  if  a  "dry  spell"  ensues,  be  vigilant.  At  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  even 
well-watered  plants  may  begin  to  wilt,  showing  that  they  require  shade, 
which  may  be  supplied  by  inverted  flower-pots,  old  berry-baskets, 


io8  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

shingles  or  boards.  A  handful  of  weeds,  grass,  or  even  of  dry  earth,  thrown 
on  the  crown  of  the  plant  in  the  morning,  and  removed  by  five  P.  M.,  is 
preferable  to  nothing.  Anything  is  better  than  stolidly  sticking  a  plant  in 
the  ground  and  leaving  it  alone  just  long  enough  to  die.  Many,  on  the 
other  hand,  kill  their  plants  with  kindness.  They  dose  the  young  things 
with  guano,  unfermented  manure,  and  burn  them  up.  Coolness,  moisture 
and  shade  are  the  conditions  for  a  new  start  in  life. 

As  has  been  explained  already,  pot-grown  plants,  with  a  ball  of  earth 
clinging  to  their  roots,  can  be  set  out  during  the  hot  months  with  great 
ease,  and  with  little  danger  of  loss.  At  the  same  time,  let  me  distinctly  say 
that  such  plants  require  fair  treatment.  The  ground  should  be  "  firmed  " 
around  them  just  as  strongly,  and  they  should  be  so  well  watched  as  to- 
guard  against  the  slightest  wilting  from  heat  and  drought. 

In  ordinary  field  culture,  let  the  rows  be  three  feet  apart,  and  let  the 
plants  stand  one  foot  from  each  other  in  the  row.  At  this  distance,  14,520 
are  required  for  an  acre.  When  land  is  scarce,  the  rows  can  be  two  and  a 
half  feet  from  each  other.  In  garden  culture,  where  the  plow  and  cultiva- 
tor will  not  be  used,  there  should  be  two  feet  between  the  rows,  and  the 
plants  should  be  one  foot  apart  as  before  With  this  rule  in  mind,  any  one 
can  readily  tell  how  many  plants  he  will  need  for  a  given  area. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


CULTIVATION. 


THE  field  for  experiment  in  cultivation  with  different  fertilizers,  soils, 
climates  and  varieties    is  indeed  a  wide  one,  and  yet  for  practical 
purposes  the  question  is  simple  enough. 

There  are  three  well-known  systems  of  cultivation,  each  of  which 
has  its  advantages  and  disadvantages.  The  first  is  termed  the  "  matted 
bed  system."  Under  this  plan  the  ground  between  the  rows  is  culti- 
vated and  kept  clean  during  the  spring  and  early  summer.  As  soon, 
however,  as  the  new  runners  begin  to  push  out  vigorously,  cultivation 
ceases,  or  else,  with  the  more  thorough,  the  cultivator  is  narrowed 
down  till  it  stirs  scarcely  more  than  a  foot  of  surface,  care  being  taken 
to  go  up  one  row  and  down  another,  so  as  always  to  draw  the  runners 
one  way.  This  prevents  them  from  being  tangled  up  and  broken  off. 
By  winter,  the  entire  ground  is  covered  with  plants,  which  are  pro- 
tected, as  will  be  explained  further  on.  In  the  spring,  the  coarsest  of 
the  covering  is  raked  off,  and  between  the  rows  is  dug  a  space  about 
a  foot  or  eighteen  inches  wide,  which  serves  as  a  path  for  the  pickers. 
This  path  is  often  cheaply  and  quickly  made  by  throwing  two  light 
furrows  together  with  a  corn  plow.  Under  this  system,  the  first  crop 
is  usually  the  best,  and  in  strong  lands  adapted  to  grasses  the  beds 
often  become  so  foul  that  it  does  not  pay  to  leave  them  to  bear  a 
second  year.  If  so,  they  are  plowed  under  as  soon  as  the  fruit  has 
been  gathered.  More  often  two  crops  are  taken,  and  then  the  land 


109 


1 1  o  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

is  put  in  some  other  crop  for  a  year  or  two  before  being  planted 
with  strawberries  again.  This  rude,  inexpensive  system  is  perhaps 
more  followed  than  any  other.  It  is  best  adapted  to  light  soils  and 
cheap  lands.  Where  an  abundance  of  cool  fertilizers  has  been 
^>*-^-  used,  or  the  ground 

has  been  generously 
prepared  with   green 
crops,  plowed  under, 
the     yield     is     often 
large  and   profitable. 
But    as    often    it    is 
"—  _  quite  the  reverse,  es- 
pecially  if  the  season 
''<  '*•         proves   dry  and   hot. 

Mattel  Bed  System.  Usually,    plants    SOd- 

ded   together  cannot 

mature  fine  fruit,  especially  after  they  have  exhausted  half  their  vitality 
in  running.  In  clayey  loams,  the  surface  in  the  matted  rows  becomes 
as  hard  as  a  brick.  Light  showers  make  little  impression  on  it,  and 
the  fruit  often  dries  upon  the  vines.  Remembering  that  the  straw- 
berry's chief  need  is  moisture,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  can  scarcely  be 
maintained  in  a  hard-matted  sod.  Under  this  system,  the  fruit  is 
small  at  best,  and  it  all  matures  together.  If  adopted  in  the  garden, 
the  family  has  but  a  few  days  of  berries  instead  of  a  few  weeks. 
The  marketman  may  find  his  whole  crop  ripening  at  a  time  of  over- 
supply,  and  his  small  berries  may  scarcely  pay  for  picking.  To 
many  of  this  class  the  cheapness  of  the  system  will  so  commend  itself 
that  they  will  continue  to  practice  it  until  some  enterprising  neighbor 
teaches  them  better,  by  his  larger  cash  returns.  In  the  garden,  however, 
it  is  the  most  expensive  method.  When  the  plants  are  sodded  together, 
the  hoe  and  fork  cannot  be  used.  The  whole  space  must  be  weeded  by 
hand,  and  there  are  some  pests  whose  roots  interlace  horizontally  above 
and  below  the  ground,  and  which  cannot  be  eradicated  from  the  matted 
rows.  Too  often,  therefore,  even  in  the  neatest  garden,  the  strawberry 
bed  is  the  place  where  vegetable  evil  triumphs. 

There  are  modifications  of  this  system  that  are  seen  to  better  advan- 
tage on  paper  than  in  the  field  or  garden.  The  one  most  often  described 
in  print — I  have  never  seen  it  working  successfully  —  may  be  termed  the 
"  renewal  system."  Instead  of  plowing  the  matted  beds  under,  after  the 
first  or  second  crop,  the  paths  between  the  beds  are  enriched  and  spaded 


Ctiltivation.  \  \  \ 

or  plowed.  The  old  plants  are  allowed  to  fill  these  former  paths  with  new 
plants  ;  which  process  being  completed,  the  old  matted  beds  are  turned 
under,  and  the  new  plants  that  have  taken  the  places  of  the  paths  bear  the 
fruit  of  the  coming  year.  But,  suppose  the  old  beds  have  within  them 
sorrel,  white  clover,  wire-grass,  and  a  dozen  other  perennial  enemies,  what 
practical  man  does  not  know  that  these  pests  will  fill  the  vacant  spaces 
faster  than  can  the  strawberry  plants  ?  There  is  no  chance  for  cultivation 
by  hoe  or  horse-power.  Only  frequent  and  laborious  weedings  by  hand 
can  prevent  the  evil,  and  this  but  partially,  for,  as  has  been  said,  the  roots 
of  many  weeds  are  out  of  reach  unless  there  is  room  for  the  fork,  hoe,  or 
cultivator  to  go  beneath  them. 

In  direct  contrast  with  the  above  is  the  ''hill  system."  This,  in  brief, 
may  be  suggested  by  saying  that  the  strawberry  plants  are  set  out  three 
feet — more  or  less — apart,  and  treated  like  hills  of  corn,  with  the  excep- 
tion that  the  ground  is  kept  level,  or  should  be.  They  are  often  so 
arranged  that  the  cultivator  can  pass  between  them  each  way,  thus  obvi- 
ating nearly  all  necessity  for  hand  work.  When  carried  out  to  such  an 
extent,  I  consider  this  plan  more  objectionable  than  the  former,  especially 
at  the  North.  In  the  first  place,  when  the  plants  are  so  distant  from  each 
other,  much  of  the  ground  is  left  unoccupied  and  unproductive.  In  the 
second  place,  the  fruit  grower  is  at  the  mercy  of  the  strawberry's  worst 
enemy,  the  Lachnosterna,  or  white  grub.  Few  fields  in  our  region  are 
wholly  free  from  them,  and  a  few  of  the  voracious  pests  would  leave  the 
ground  bare,  for  they  devour  the  roots  all  summer  long.  In  the  third 
place,  where  so  much  of  the  ground  is  unoccupied,  the  labor  of  mulching, 
so  that  the  soil  can  be  kept  moist  and  the  fruit  clean,  is  very  great. 

In  small  garden-plots,  when  the  plants  can  be  set  only  two  feet  apart 
each  way,  the  results  of  this  system  are  often  most  admirable.  The  entire 
spaces  between  them  can  be  kept  mellow  and  loose,  and  therefore  moist. 
There  is  room  to  dig  out  and  eradicate  the  roots  of  the  worst  weeds.  By 
frequently  raking  the  ground  over,  the  annual  weeds  do  not  get  a  chance 
to  start.  In  the  rich  soil,  the  plants  make  great,  bushy  crowns  that  nearly 
touch  each  other,  and  as  they  begin  to  blossom,  the  whole  space  between 
them  can  be  mulched  with  straw,  grass,  etc.  The  runners  can  easily  be 
cut  away  when  the  plants  are  thus  isolated.  Where  there  are  not  many 
white  grubs  in  the  soil,  the  hill  system  is  well  adapted  to  meet  garden 
culture,  and  the  result,  in  a  prolonged  season  of  large,  beautiful  fruit,  will 
be  most  satisfactory.  Moreover,  the  berries,  being  exposed  on  all  sides 
to  the  sun,  will  be  of  the  best  flavor. 

In  the  South,  the  hill  system  is  the  only  one  that  can  be  adopted  to 


112 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


advantage.  There  the  plants  are  set  in  the  summer  and  autumn,  and  the 
crop  is  taken  from  them  the  following  spring.  Therefore,  each  plant  must 
be  kept  from  running,  and  be  stimulated  to  do  its  best  within  a  given 
space  of  time.  In  the  South,  however,  the  plants  are  set  but  one  foot 
apart  in  the  rows,  and  thus  little  space  is  lost. 

I  am  satisfied  that  the  method  best  adapted  to  our  eastern  and  western 
conditions  is  what  is  termed  the  "  narrow  row  system,"  believing  that  it 
will  give  the  greatest  amount  of  fine  fruit  with  the  least  degree  of  trouble 
and  expense.  The  plants  are  set  one  foot  from  each  other  in  line,  and  not 
allowed  to  make  runners.  In  good  soil,  they  will  touch  each  other  after 
one  year's  growth,  and  make  a  continuous  bushy  row.  The  spaces  between 


Narrow  Row  and  Hill  Systems. 

the  rows  may  be  two  and  a  half  to  three  feet.  Through  these  spaces  the 
cultivator  can  be  run  as  often  as  you  please,  and  the  ground  can  be  thus 
kept  clean,  mellow  and  moist.  The  soil  can  be  worked — not  deeply,  of 
course — within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  plants,  and  thus  but  little  space  is 
left  for  hand-weeding.  I  have  found  this  latter  task  best  accomplished  by 
a  simple  tool  made  of  a  fork-tine,  with  a  section  of  the  top  left  attached, 
thus  :  T-  Old  broken  forks  can  thus  be  utilized.  This  tool  can 
be  thrust  deeply  between  the  plants  without  disturbing  many  roots, 
and  the  most  stubborn  weed  can  be  pried  out.  Under  this  system, 
the  ground  is  occupied  to  the  fullest  extent  that  is  profitable.  The 
berries  are  exposed  to  light  and  air  on  either  side,  and  mulch  can  be 


Cultivation. 


applied  with  the  least  degree  of  trouble.  The  feeding-ground  for  the  roots 
can  be  kept  mellow  by  horse-power ;  if  irrigation  is  adopted,  the  spaces 
between  the  rows  form  the  natural  channels  for  the  water.  Chief  of  all, 
it  is  the  most  successful  way  of  fighting  the  white  grub.  These  enemies 
are  not  found  scattered  evenly  through  the  soil,  but  abound  in  patches. 
Here  they  can  be  dug  out  if  not  too  numerous,  and  the  plants  allowed  to 
run  and  fill  up  the  gaps.  To  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  narrow  row 
system  is  hill  culture  with  the  evils  of  the  latter  subtracted.  Even  where 
it  is  not  carried  out  accurately,  and  many  plants  take  root  in  the  rows, 
most  of  them  will  become  large,  strong  and  productive,  under  the  hasty 
culture  which  destroys  the  greater  number  of  the  side-runners. 

Where    this  system  is  fairly  tried,  the  improvement  in  the  quality, 
size,  and,  therefore,  measuring  bulk  of  the  crop,  is 
astonishing.     This  is  especially  true  of  some  varie- 
ties, like  the  Duchess,  which,  even  in  a  matted  bed, 
tends  to  stool  out  into  great  bushy  plants. 
The  cut  shows  how  enormously  productive 
it    becomes    under    this    system.      Doctor 
Thurber,  editor  of  the  Amer- 
ican   Agriculturist,   unhesi- 
tatingly pronounced    it  the 
most   productive    and    best 
early  variety  in  my  speci- 
men-bed,   containing    fifty 


A  Duchess  Row  and  Berry. 

different  kinds.     If  given  a  chance  to  develop  its  stooling-out  qualities,  it 
is  able  to  compete  even  with  the  Crescent  and  Wilson  in  productiveness. 
At  the  same  time,  its  fruit  becomes  large,  and  as  regular  in  shape  as  if 
IS 


H4  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

turned  with  a  lathe.  Many  who  have  never  tried  this  system  would  be 
surprised  to  find  what  a  change  for  the  better  it  makes  in  the  old  popular 
kinds,  like  the  Charles  Downing,  Kentucky  and  Wilson.  The  Golden 
Defiance,  also,  which  is  so  vigorous  in  the  matted  beds  that  weeds  stand 
but  little  chance  before  it,  almost  doubles  in  size  and  productiveness  if 
restricted  to  a  narrow  row. 

The  following  remarks  will  have  reference  to  this  system,  as  I  consider 
it  the  best.  We  will  start  with  plants  that  have  just  been  set  out.  If 
fruit  is  our  aim,  we  should  remember  that  the  first  and  strongest  impulse 
of  each  plant  will  be  to  propagate  itself;  but  to  the  degree  that  it  does  so, 
it  lessens  its  own  vitality  and  power  to  produce  berries  the  following 
season.  Therefore,  every  runner  that  a  plant  makes  means  so  much  less 
and  so  much  smaller  fruit  from  that  plant.  Remove  the  runners  as 
they  appear,  and  the  life  of  the  plant  goes  to  make  vigorous  foliage 
and  a  correspondingly  large  fruit  bud.  The  sap  is  stored  up  as  a  miller 
collects  and  keeps  for  future  use  the  water  of  a  stream.  Moreover,  a 
plant  thus  curbed  abounds  in  vitality  and  does  not  throw  down  its 
burden  of  prematurely  ripe  fruit  after  a  few  hot  days.  It  works  evenly 
and  continuously,  as  strength  only  can,  and  leisurely  perfects  the  last  berry 
on  the  vines.  You  will  often  find  blossoms  and  ripe  fruit  on  the  same 
plant — something  rarely  seen  where  the  plants  are  crowded  and  the  soil 
dry.  I  have  had  rows  of  Triomphe  de  Gand  in  bearing  for  seven  weeks. 

With  these  facts  before  us,  the  culture  of  strawberries  is  simple 
enough.  A  few  days  after  planting,  as  soon  as  it  is  evident  that  they 
will  live,  stir  the  surface  just  about  them  not  more  than  half  an  inch  deep. 
Insist  on  this ;  for  most  workmen  will  half  hoe  them  out  of  the  ground. 
A  fine-tooth  rake  is  one  of  the  best  tools  for  stirring  the  surface  merely. 
After  the  plants  become  well  rooted,  keep  the  ground  mellow  and  clean  as 
you  would  between  any  other  hoed  crop,  using  horse-power  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, since  it  is  the  cheapest  and  most  effective.  If  the  plants  have  been 
set  out  in  spring,  take  off  the  fruit  buds  as  soon  as  they  appear.  Unless 
the  plants  are  very  strong,  and  are  set  out  very  early,  fruiting  the  same 
year  means  feebleness  and  often  death.  If  berries  are  wanted  within  a 
year,  the  plants  must  be  set  in  summer  or  autumn.  Then  they  can  be 
permitted  to  bear  all  they  will  the  following  season.  A  child  with  a 
pair  of  shears  or  a  knife,  not  too  dull,  can  easily  keep  a  large  garden-plot 
free  from  runners,  unless  there  are  long  periods  of  neglect.  Half  an 
hour's  work  once  a  week,  in  the  cool  of  the  evening,  will  be  sufficient.  A 
boy  paid  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  cents  a  day  can  keep  acres  clipped 
if  he  tries. 


Cultivation.  115 

If  the  ground  were  poor,  or  one  were  desirous  of  large  fruit,  it  would 
be  well  to  give  a  liberal  autumn  top-dressing  of  fine  compost  or  any  well- 
rotted  fertilizer  not  containing  crude  lime.  Bone  dust  and  wood  ashes 
are  excellent.  Scatter  this  along  the  rows,  and  hoe  it  in  the  last  time 
they  are  cultivated  in  the  fall. 

With  the  exception  of  guano  and  other  quick-acting  stimulants,  I 
believe  in  fall  top-dressing.  The  melting  snows  and  March  rains  carry 
the  fertilizing  properties  down  to  the  roots,  which  begin  growing  and  feed- 
ing very  early  in  spring.  If  compost  or  barn-yard  manure  is  used,  it 
aids  in  protecting  the  plants  during  the  winter,  warms  and  mellows  the 
soil,  and  starts  them  into  a  prompt,  vigorous  growth,  thus  enabling  them 
to  store  up  sufficient  vitality  in  the  cool  growing  season  to  produce  large 
fruit  in  abundance.  If  top-dressings  are  applied  in  the  spring,  and  a 
dry  period  follows,  they  scarcely  reach  the  roots  in  time  to  aid  in  forming 
the  fruit  buds.  The  crop  of  the  following  year,  however,  will  be  increased. 
Of  course,  it  is  far  better  to  top-dress  the  rows  in  spring  than  not  at 
all.  I  only  wish  to  suggest  that  usually  the  best  results  are  obtained 
by  doing  this  work  in  the  fall ;  and  this  would  be  true  especially  of  heavy 
soils. 

When  the  ground  begins  to  freeze,  protect  the  plants  for  the  winter 
by  covering  the  rows  lightly  with  straw,  leaves,  or — better  than  all — 
with  light,  strawy  horse-manure,  that  has  been  piled  up  to  heat  and  turned 
over  once  or  twice,  so  that  in  its  violent  fermentation  all  grass  seeds  have 
been  killed.  Do  not  cover  so  heavily  as  to  smother  the  plants,  nor  so  lightly 
that  the  wind  and  rains  will  dissipate  the  mulch.  Your  aim  is  not  to 
keep  the  plants  from  freezing,  but  from  freezing  and  thawing  with  every 
alternation  of  our  variable  winters  and  springs.  On  ordinarily  dry  land, 
two  or  three  inches  of  light  material  is  sufficient.  Moreover,  the  thaw- 
ing out  of  the  fruit  buds  or  crown,  under  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun, 
injures  them,  I  think.  Most  of  the  damage  is  done  in  February  and 
March.  The  good  gardener  watches  his  plants,  adds  to  the  covering 
where  it  has  been  washed  away  or  is  insufficient,  and  drains  off"  puddles, 
which  are  soon  fatal  to  all  the  plants  beneath  them.  Wet  ground, 
moreover,  heaves  ten  times  as  badly  as  that  which  is  dry.  If  one 
neglects  to  do  these  things,  he  may  find  half  of  the  plants  thrown  out 
of  the  ground,  after  a  day  or  two  of  alternate  freezing  and  thawing. 
Good  drainage  alone,  with  three  or  four  inches  of  covering  of  light 
material,  can  prevent  this,  although  some  varieties,  like  the  Golden 
Defiance,  seem  to  resist  the  heaving  action  of  frost  remarkably.  Never 
cover  with  hot,  heavy  manure,  nor  too  deeply  with  leaves,  as  the  rains  beat 


n6  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

these  down  too  flatly.  Let  the  winter  mulch  not  only  cover  the  row, 
but  reach  a  foot  on  either  side. 

Just  before  very  cold  weather  begins, — from  the  middle  of  November 
to  December  1st,  in  our  latitude, — we  may,  if  we  choose,  cover  our  beds 
so  deeply  with  leaves,  or  litter  of  some  kind,  as  to  keep  out  the  frost  com- 
pletely. We  thus  may  be  able  to  dig  plants  on  mild  winter  days  and 
early  spring,  in  case  we  have  orders  from  the  far  South.  This  heavy 
covering  should  be  lightened  sufficiently  early  in  the  spring  to  prevent 
smothering.  Plants  well  protected  have  a  fine  green  appearance  early  in 
spring,  and,  even  if  no  better,  will  give  much  better  satisfaction  than  those 
whose  leaves  are  sere  and  black  from  frost. 

As  the  weather  begins  to  grow  warm  in  March,  push  aside  the  cover- 
ing a  little  from  the  crown  of  the  plants,  so  as  to  let  in  air.  If  early  fruit 
is  desired,  the  mulch  can  be  raked  aside  and  the  ground  worked  between 
the  rows,  as  soon  as  danger  of  severe  frosts  is  over.  If  late  fruit  is 
wanted,  let  in  air  to  the  crown  of  the  plants,  but  leave  the  mulch  on  the 
ground,  which  is  thus  shielded  from  the  sun,  warm  showers,  and  the  south 
wind,  for  two  or  three  weeks. 

I  have  now  reached  a  point  at  which  I  differ  from  most  horticultural 
writers.  As  a  rule,  it  is  advised  that  there  be  no  spring  cultivation  of 
bearing  plants.  It  has  been  said  that  merely  pushing  the  winter  mulch 
aside  sufficiently  to  let  the  new  growth  come  through  is  all  that  is  needed. 
I  admit  that  the  results  are  often  satisfactory  under  this  method,  especially 
if  there  has  been  deep,  thorough  culture  in  the  fall,  and  if  the  mulch 
between  and  around  the  plants  is  very  abundant.  At  the  same  time,  I 
have  so  often  seen  unsatisfactory  results  that  I  take  a  decided  stand 
in  favor  of  spring  cultivation,  if  done  properly  and  sufficiently  early.  I 
think  my  reasons  will  commend  themselves  to  practical  men.  Even  where 
the  soil  has  been  left  mellow  by  fall  cultivation,  the  beating  rains  and  the 
weight  of  melting  snows  pack  the  earth.  All  loamy  land  settles  and 
tends  to  grow  hard  after  the  frost  leaves  it.  While  the  mulch  checks  this 
tendency,  it  cannot  wholly  prevent  it.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  spaces 
between  the  rows  are  seldom  thoroughly  loosened  late  in  the  fall.  The 
mulch  too  often  is  scattered  over  a  comparatively  hard  surface,  which  by 
the  following  June  has  become  so  solid  as  to  suffer  disastrously  from 
drought  in  the  blossoming  and  bearing  season.  I  have  seen  well- mulched 
fields  with  their  plants  faltering  and  wilting,  unable  to  mature  the  crop 
because  the  ground  had  become  so  hard  that  an  ordinary  shower  could 
make  but  little  impression.  Moreover,  even  if  kept  moist  by  the  mulch, 
land  long  shielded  from  sun  and  air  tends  to  become  sour,  heavy,  and 


Cultivation. 


117 


devoid  of  that  life  which  gives  vitality  and  vigor  to  the  plant.  The  winter 
mulch  need  not  be  laboriously  raked  from  the  garden-bed  or  field,  and 
then  carted  back  again.  Begin  on  one  side  of  a  plantation  and  rake  toward 
the  other,  until  three  or  four  rows  and  the  spaces  between  them  are  bare ; 
then  fork  the  spaces  or  run  the  cultivator — often  the  subsoil  plow — 
deeply  through  them,  and  then  immediately,  before  the  moist,  newly 
made  surface  dries,  rake  the  winter  mulch  back  into  its  place  as  a  summer 
mulch.  Then  take  another  strip  and  treat  it  in  like  manner,  until  the 
generous  impulse  of  spring  air  and  sunshine  has  been  given  to  the  soil  of 
the  entire  plantation. 

The   cut,    giving   a   section    of    my   specimen-bed,    shows    one    row 
still  under  its  winter  covering,  one  cultivated  and  ready  for  the  summer 


Three  Rows,  illustrating  early  Spring  Work. 

mulch,  and  the  third  row  with  this  applied,  and  the  plants  ready  for  fruiting. 
A  liberal  coat  of  fine  compost  was  forked  in  also  at  the  same  time,  and  the 
resulting  crop  was  enormous.  This  spring  cultivation  should  be  done 
early — as  soon  as  possible  after  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to  work.  The 
roots  of  a  plant  or  tree  should  never  be  seriously  disturbed  in  the  blos- 
soming or  bearing  period,  and  yet  I  would  rather  stir  the  surface,  even 
when  my  beds  were  in  full  bloom,  than  leave  it  hard,  baked  and  dry ;  for, 
heed  this  truth  well — unless  a  plant,  from  the  time  it  blossoms  until  the 
fruit  matures,  has  an  abundance  of  moisture,  it  will  fail  in  almost  the 
exact  proportion  that  moisture  fails.  A  liberal  summer  mulch  under  and 
around  the  plants  not  only  keeps  the  fruit  clean,  but  renders  a  watering 


1 1 8  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

much  more  lasting,  by  shielding  the  soil  from  the  sun.  Never  sprinkle  the 
plants  a  little  in  dry  weather.  If  you  water  at  all,  soak  the  ground  and 
keep  it  moist  all  the  time  till  the  crop  matures.  Insufficient  watering  will 
injure  and  perhaps  destroy  the  best  of  beds  ;  but  this  subject  and  that 
of  irrigation  will  be  treated  in  a  later  chapter. 

When  prize  berries  are  sought,  enormous  fruit  can  be  obtained  by  the 
use  of  liquid  manure,  but  it  should  be  applied  with  skill  and  judgment,  or 
else  its  very  strength  may  dwarf  the  plants.  In  this  case,  also,  all  the 
little  green  berries,  save  the  three  or  four  lowest  ones,  may  be  picked  from 
the  fruit  truss,  and  the  force  of  the  plant  will  be  expended  in  maturing  a 
few  mammoth  specimens.  Never  seek  to  stimulate  with  plaster  or  lime, 
directly.  Other  plants'  meat  is  the  strawberry's  poison  in  respect  to  the 
immediate  action  of  these  two  agents.  Horse  manure  composted  with 
muck,  vegetable  mold,  wood  ashes,  bone  meal,  and,  best  of  all,  the  product 
of  the  cow-stable,  if  thoroughly  decayed  and  incorporated  with  the  soil, 
will  probably  give  the  largest  strawberries  that  can  be  grown,  if  steady 
moisture,  but  not  wetness,  is  maintained. 

Many  advise  the  mowing  off  of  the  old  foliage  after  the  fruit  has  been 
gathered.  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  this  practice.  The  crowns  of  the  plants 
and  the  surface  of  the  bed  are  laid  open  to  the  midsummer  sun.  The 
foliage  is  needed  to  sustain  dr  develop  the  roots.  In  the  case  of  a  few 
petted  and  valuable  plants,  it  might  be  well  to  take  off  some  of  the  old  dying 
leaves,  but  it  seems  reasonable  to  think  that  the  wholesale  destruction  of 
healthful  foliage  must  be  a  severe  blow  to  the  vitality  of  the  plants.  Still, 
the  beds  should  not  be  left  to  weeds  and  drought.  Neglect  would  be 
ungracious,  indeed,  just  after  receiving  such  delicious  gifts.  I  would 
advise  that  the  coarsest  of  the  mulch  be  raked  off  and  stored  for  winter 
covering,  and  then  the  remainder  forked  very  lightly  or  cultivated  into  the 
soil,  as  a  fertilizer,  immediately  after  a  soaking  rain,  but  not  when  the 
ground  is  dry.  Do  not  disturb  the  roots  of  a  plant  during  a  dry  period. 
Many  advise  a  liberal  manuring  after  the  fruit  is  gathered.  This  is  the 
English  method,  and  is  all  right  in  their  humid  climate,  but  dangerous 
in  our  land  of  hot  suns  and  long  droughts.  Dark-colored  fertilizers 
absorb  and  intensify  the  heat.  A  sprinkling  of  bone  dust  can  be  used 
to  advantage  as  a  summer  stimulant,  and  stronger  manures,  contain- 
ing a  larger  per  cent,  of  nitrogen,  can  be  applied  just  before  the  late  fall 
rains.  A  plant  just  after  bearing  needs  rest. 

After  fruiting,  the  foliage  of  some  of  our  best  kinds  turns  red  and 
seemingly  burns  and  shrivels  away.  This  is  not  necessarily  a  disease, 
but  merely  the  decay  of  old  leaves  which  have  fulfilled  their  mission. 


Cultivation. 


119 


From  the  crown  a  new  and  vigorous  growth  will  eventually  take  their 
place. 

When  one  is  engaged  in  the  nursery  business,  the  young  plants 
form  a  crop  far  more  valuable  than  the  fruit.  Therefore,  every  effort  is 
made  to  increase  the  number  of  runners  rather  than  to  destroy  them. 
Stimulating  manures,  which  promote  a  growth  of  vines  rather  than  of 


The  Wilson  Strawberry. 


Boy  Weeding. 


fruit,  are  the  most  useful.  The  process  of  rooting  is  often  greatly 
hastened  by  layering;  that  is,  by  pressing  the  incipient  plant  forming 
on  the  runner  into  the  soil,  and  by  laying  on  it  a  pebble  or  lump  of 
earth  to  keep  it  in  its  place.  When  a  bed  is  closely  covered  with 
young  plants  that  have  not  taken  root,  a  top-dressing  of  fine  compost 


I2O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

will  greatly  hasten  their  development.  Moisture  is  even  more  essential 
to  the  nurseryman  than  to  the  fruit  grower,  and  he  needs  it  especially 
during  the  hot  months  of  July,  August  and  September,  for  it  is  then 
that  the  new  crop  of  plants  is  growing.  Therefore,  his  need  of  damp 
but  well-drained  ground  ;  and  if  the  means  of  irrigation  are  within  his 
reach,  he  may  accomplish  wonders,  and  can  take  two  or  three  crops  of 
plants  from  the  same  area  in  one  season. 

While  the  growing  of  strawberry  plants  may  be  very  profitable,  it 
must  be  expensive,  since  large  areas  must  be  laboriously  weeded  by 
hand  several  times  in  the  season.  Instead  of  keeping  the  spaces  between 
the  rows  clear,  for  the  use  of  horse-power,  it  is  our  aim  to  have  them 
covered  as  soon  as  possible  with  runners  and  young  plants.  The  Golden 
Defiance,  Crescent  Seedling  and  a  few  others  will  keep  pace  with  most 
weeds,  and  even  master  them  ;  but  nearly  all  varieties  require  much  help 
in  the  unequal  fight,  or  our  beds  become  melancholy  examples  of  the 
survival  of  the  unfittest 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


A    SOUTHERN     STRAWBERRY     FARM,     AND     METHODS     OF    CULTURE 

IN    THE    SOUTH. 

HAVING  treated  of  the  planting  of  strawberries,  their  cultivation,  and 
kindred  topics,  in  that  great  northern  belt,  of  which  a  line  drawn 
through  New  York  city  may  be  regarded  as  the  center,  I  shall  now 
suggest  characteristics  in  the  culture  of  this  fruit  in  southern  latitudes. 
We  need  not  refer  to  the  oldest  inhabitant,  since  the  middle-aged 
remember  when  even  the  large  cities  of  the  North  were  supplied  from  the 
fields  in  the  suburbs,  and  the  strawberry  season  in  town  was  identical 
with  that  of  the  surrounding  country.  But  a  marvelous  change  has  taken 
place,  and  berries  from  southern  climes  appear  in  our  markets  soon  after 
midwinter.  This  early  supply  is  becoming  one  of  the  chief  industries  of 
the  South  Atlantic  coast,  and  every  year  increases  its  magnitude.  At 
one  time,  southern  New  Jersey  furnished  the  first  berries,  but  Maryland, 
Delaware,  and  Virginia  soon  began  to  compete.  Norfolk  early  took  the 
lead  in  this  trade,  and  even  before  the  war  was  building  up  a  fine 
business.  That  event  cut  off  our  Southern  supply,  and  for  a  few  years 
June  and  strawberries  again  came  together.  But  after  the  welcome  peace, 
many  Southern  fields  grew  red  once  more,  but  not  with  blood,  and 
thronged,  but  chiefly  by  women  and  children.  Soil,  climate,  and  superb 
water  communications  speedily  restored  to  Norfolk  the  vantage  which  she 
will  probably  maintain  ;  but  fleet  steamers  are  giving  more  southern  ports 
a  chance.  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  is  second  only  in  importance.  In 
16 


122  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

the  spring  of  '79,  every  week  four  steamers  were  loaded  for  New  York, 
and  strawberries  formed  no  insignificant  proportion  of  the  freight. 
Indeed,  the  supply  from  Charleston  was  so  large  that  the  price  in  April 
scarcely  repaid  the  cost  of  some  shipments.  The  proprietor  of  a  commis- 
sion house,  largely  engaged  in  the  southern  fruit  trade,  told  me  he 
thought  that  about  one-third  as  many  strawberries  came  from  Charleston 
as  from  Norfolk.  From  careful  inquiries  made  on  the  ground,  I  am  led 
to  believe  —  if  it  has  not  already  attained  this  position  —  that  Norfolk  is 
rapidly  becoming  the  largest  strawberry  center  in  the  world,  though 
Charleston  is  unquestionably  destined  to  become  its  chief  rival  in  the 
South.  The  latter  city,  however,  has  not  been  able  to  monopolize  the 
far  southern  trade,  and  never  have  I  seen  a  finer  field  of  strawberries 
than  was  shown  me  in  the  suburbs  of  Savannah.  It  consisted  of  a 
square  of  four  acres,  set  with  Neunan's  Prolific,  the  celebrated  Charleston 
berry. 

And  now  Florida,  with  its  unrivaled  oranges,  is  beginning  to  furnish 
tons  of  strawberries,  that  begin  ripening  in  our  midwinter ;  and,  with  its 
quick,  sandy  soil  and  sunny  skies,  threatens  to  render  the  growing  of  this 
fruit  under  glass  unprofitable.  I  saw  last  winter,  at  Mandarin,  quite  an 
extensive  strawberry  farm,  under  the  care  of  Messrs.  Bowen  Brothers,  and 
was  shown  their  skillful  appliances  for  shipping  the  fruit.  At  Jacksonville, 
also,  Captain  William  James  is  succeeding  finely  in  the  culture  of  some  of 
our  northern  varieties,  the  Seth  Boyden  taking  the  lead. 

I  think  I  can  better  present  the  characteristics  of  strawberry  culture  in 
the  South  by  aiming  to  give  a  graphic  picture  of  the  scenes  and  life  on  a 
single  farm,  than  is  possible  by  general  statements  of  what  I  have  witnessed 
here  and  there.  I  have  therefore  selected  for  description  a  plantation  at 
Norfolk,  since  this  city  is  the  center  of  the  largest  trade,  and  nearly  midway 
in  the  Atlantic  strawberry  belt.  I  am  also  led  to  make  this  choice  because 
here  is  to  be  found,  I  believe,  the  largest  strawberry  farm  in  the  world,  and 
its  varied  labors  illustrate  most  of  the  southern  aspects  of  the  question. 

The  reader  may  imagine  himself  joining  our  little  party  on  a  lovely 
afternoon  about  the  middle  of  May.  We  took  one  of  the  fine,  stanch 
steamers  of  the  Old  Dominion  line  at  three  P.  M.,  and  soon  were  enjoying, 
with  a  pleasure  that  never  palls,  the  sail  from  the  city  to  the  sea.  Our 
artistic  leader,  whose  eye  and  taste  were  to  illumine  and  cast  a  glamour  over 
my  otherwise  matter-of-fact  text,  was  all  aglow  with  the  varied  beauties 
of  the  scene,  and  he  faced  the  prospect  beyond  the  "  Hook  "  with  no  more 
misgivings  than  if  it  were  a  "  painted  ocean."  But  there  are  occasions 
when  the  most  heroic  courage  is  of  no  avail. 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South.  123 

Only  in  the  peace  and  beauty  that  crowned  the  closing  hours  of  the 
day,  as  we  steamed  past  Fortress  Monroe  and  up  the  Elizabeth  river,  did 
the  prosaic  fade  out  of  the  hours  just  past,  and  now  before  us  was  the 
"  sunny  South  "  and  strawberries  and  cream. 

In  the  night  there  was  a  steady  downfall  of  rain,  but  sunshine  came 
with  the  morning,  and  we  found  that  the  spring  we  had  left  at  the  North 
was  summer  here,  and  saw  that  the  season  was  moving  forward  with 
quickened  and  elastic  tread.  Before  the  day  grew  warm,  we  started 
from  our  hotel  at  Norfolk  for  the  strawberry  plantation,  rattling  and 
bouncing  past  comfortable  and  substantial  homes,  over  a  pavement  that 
surpassed  even  the  ups  and  downs  of  fortune.  Here  and  there,  sur- 
rounded by  a  high  brick  wall,  would  be  seen  a  fine  old  mansion, 
embowered  in  a  wealth  of  shrubbery  and  foliage  that  gave,  even  in  the 
midst  of  the  city,  a  suburban  seclusion.  The  honeysuckle  and  roses  are 
at  home  in  Norfolk,  and  their  exquisite  perfume  floated  to  us  across  the 
high  garden  fences.  Thank  heaven !  some  of  the  best  things  in  the 
world  cannot  be  walled  in.  St.  Paul's  Church  and  quaint  old  burying- 
ground,  shadowed  by  trees,  festooned  with  vines  and  gemmed  with 
flowers,  seemed  so  beautiful,  as  we  passed,  that  we  thought  its  influence 
on  the  secular  material  life  of  the  people  must  be  almost  as  good 
through  the  busy  week  as  on  the  Sabbath. 

The  houses  soon  grew  scattering,  and  the  wide,  level,  open  country 
stretched  away  before  us,  its  monotony  broken  here  and  there  by  groves 
of  pine.  The  shell  road  ceased  and  our  wheels  now  passed  through 
many  deep  puddles,  which  in  Virginia  seem  sacred,  since  they  are  pre- 
served year  after  year  in  exactly  the  same  places.  A  more  varied  class 
of  vehicles  than  we  met  from  time  to  time  would  scarcely  be  seen  on 
any  other  road  in  the  country.  There  were  stylish  city  carriages  and 
buggies,  grocer  and  express  wagons,  great  lumbering  market  trucks 
laden  with  barrels  of  early  cabbages,  spring  wagons,  drawn  by  mules, 
piled  up  with  crates  from  many  a  strawberry  field  in  the  interior,  and 
so,  on  the  descending  scale,  till  we  reach  the  two-wheeled,  primitive  carts 
drawn  by  cows — all  converging  toward  some  northern  steamer,  whose 
capacious  maw  was  ready  to  receive  the  produce  of  the  country.  We  had 
not  proceeded  very  far  before  we  saw  in  the  distance  a  pretty  cottage, 
sheltered  by  a  group  of  tall,  primeval  pines,  and  on  the  right  of  it  a  large 
barn-like  building,  with  a  dwelling,  office,  smithy,  sheds,  etc.,  grouped 
about  it.  A  previous  visit  enabled  me  to  point  out  the  cottage  as  the 
home  of  the  proprietor,  and  to  explain  that  the  seeming  barn  was  a  straw- 
berry crate  manufactory.  As  was  the  case  on  large  plantations  in  the 


124 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


olden  time,  almost  everything  required  in  the  business  is  made  on  the 
place,  and  nearly  every  mechanical  trade  has  a  representative  in  Mr. 
Young's  employ. 

As  we  drove  up  under  the   pines,  the  proprietor  of  the  farm  wel- 
comed us  with  a  cordial    hospitality,  which    he    may  have  acquired    in 


The  Home  Field  and  Mr.  Young's  Cottage. 

part  from  his  residence  in  the  South.  On  the  porch  stood  a  slender 
lady,  whose  girlish  grace  and  delicate  beauty  at  once  captivated  the 
artists  of  our  party. 

There  was  the  farm  we  had  come  to  see,  stretching  away  before  us  in 
hundreds  of  green,  level  acres.  As  we  drove  to  a  distant  field  in  which 
the  pickers  were  then  engaged,  we  could  see  the  ripening  berries  with  one 
side  blushing  toward  the  sun.  Passing  a  screen  of  pines,  we  came  out 
into  a  field  containing  thirteen  acres  of  Wilson  strawberries,  and  then 
more  fully  began  to  realize  the  magnitude  of  the  business.  Scattered 
over  the  wide  area,  in  what  seemed  inextricable  confusion  to  our  uniniti- 
ated eyes,  were  hundreds  of  men,  women,  and  children  of  all  ages  and 
shades  of  color,  and  from  the  field  at  large  came  a  softened  din  of  voices, 
above  the  monotony  of  which  arose  here  and  there  snatches  of  song, 
laughter  mellowed  by  distance,  and  occasionally  the  loud,  sharp  orders  of 
the  overseers,  who  stalked  hither  and  thither,  wherever  their  "  little  brief 
authority  "  was  most  in  requisition. 

We  soon  noted  that  the  confusion  was  more  apparent  than  real,  and 
that  each  picker  was  given  a  row  over  which  he — or,  more  often,  she — 
bent  with  busy  fingers  until  it  was  finished.  At  central  points  crates 
were  piled  up,  and  men  known  as  "  buyers "  received  the  round  quart 
baskets  from  the  trays  of  the  pickers,  while  wide  platform  carts,  drawn 
by  mules,  were  bringing  empty  crates  and  carrying  away  those  that  had 
been  filled. 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South.  125 

Along  the  road  that  skirted  the  field,  and  against  a  pretty  background 
of  half- grown  pines,  motley  forms  and  groups  were  moving  to  and  fro, 
some  seeking  the  "  buyers "  with  full  trays,  others  returning  to  their 
stations  in  the  field  with  a  new  supply  of  empty  baskets.  Some  of  the 
pickers  were  drifting  away  to  other  fields,  a  few  seeking  work  late  in  the 
day  ;  more,  bargaining  with  the  itinerant  venders  of  pies,  made  to  last  all 
summer  if  not  sold,  gingerbread,  "  pones,"  and  other  nondescript  edibles, 
at  which  an  ostrich  would  hesitate  in  well-grounded  fear  of  indigestion, 
but  for  which  sable  and  semi-sable  pickers  exchange  their  berry  tickets 

and  pennies  as  eagerly  as  we  buy 
Vienna  rolls.  Two  or  three  ba- 
rouches and  buggies  that  had 


brought  visitors  were  mingled  with 
the  mule-carts  ;  and  grouped  together 
for  a  moment  might  be  seen  elegantly 
attired  ladies  from  New  York,  slender 
mulatto  girls,  clad  in  a  single  tattered 
gown  which  scantily  covered  their  bare 
ankles  and  feet,  and  stout,  shiny  negro 
women,  their  waists  tied  with  a  string  The  First  Glimpse. 

to  prevent  their  flowing  drapery  from 

impeding  their  work.  Flitting  to  and  fro  were  numberless  colored  chil- 
dren, bare-headed,  bare-legged,  and  often  with  not  a  little  of  their  sleek 
bodies  gleaming  through  the  innumerable  rents  of  their  garments,  their 
eyes  glittering  like  black  beads,  and  their  white  teeth  showing  on  the 
slightest  provocation  to  mirth.  Indeed,  the  majority  of  the  young  men 
and  women  were  chattering  and  laughing  much  of  the  time,  and  only 
those  well  in  the  shadow  of  age  worked  on  in  a  stolid,  plodding  manner. 
Mingled  indiscriminately  with  the  colored  people  were  not  a  few  white 


126 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


women  and  children,  and  occasionally  a  white  man.  As  a  rule,  these 
were  better  dressed,  the  white  girls  wearing  sun-bonnets  of  portentous 
size,  whose  cavernous  depths  would  make  a  search  for  beauty  on  the  part 
of  our  artist  a  rather  close  and  embarrassing  scrutiny.  The  colored 
women  as  often  wore  a  man's  hat  as  any  other,  and  occasionally  enlivened 
the  field  with  a  red  bandana.  Over  all  the  stooping,  moving,  oddly 
appareled  forms,  a  June-like  sun  was  shining  with  summer  warmth. 


"Nondescript  Edibles." 

Beyond  the  field  a  branch  of  Tanner's  Creek  shimmered  in  the  light,  tall 
pines  sighed  in  the  breeze  on  the  right,  and  from  the  copse-wood  at  their 
feet  quails  were  calling,  their  mellow  whistle  blending  with  the  notes  of  a 
wild  Methodist  air.  In  the  distance  rose  the  spires  of  Norfolk,  complet- 
ing a  picture  whose  interest  and  charm  I  have  but  faintly  suggested. 

Several   of   the  overseers  are  negroes,   and  we  were  hardly  on  the 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 


127 


ground  before  one  of  these  men,  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  shouted 

in  a  stentorian  voice : 

"  Heah,  you  !     Git  up,  dar,  you  long  man,  off'n  yer  knees.     What  yo' 

mashin'  down  a  half-acre  o'  berries  fer  ?  " 

Mr.  Sheppard  was  quick  to  see  a  good  subject,  and  almost  in  a  flash 

he  had  the  man  posed  and  motionless  in  his  attitude  of  authority,  and 

under  his  rapid  strokes  Jackson  won  fame 
and  eminence,  going  to  his  work  a  little  later 
the  hero  of  the  field.  The  overseer's  task  is 
a  difficult  one,  for  the  pickers  least  given  to 
prayer  are  oftenest  on  their  knees,  crushing 


-.- 


Git  up,  dar,  you  long  man, 
off'n  yer  knees." 


strawberries,    and,    whether    they 
are    "  long "    or    short,    much    fruit    is 
destroyed.      North    or   South,   the   effort   to   keep 


those  we   employ  off  the  berries  must  be  constant, 
especially  as  a  long,  hot  day  is  waning.      Indeed, 

one  can  scarcely  blame  them  for  "  lopping  down."  for  it  would  be  inquis- 
itorial torture  to  most  of  us  to  stoop  upon  our  feet  through  a  summer 
day.  Picking  strawberries,  as  a  steady  business,  is  wofully  prosaic. 

While  the  sun  had  been  shining  so  brightly,  there  had  been  an  occa- 
sional heavy  jar  and  rumble  of  thunder,  and  now  the  western  sky  was 
black.  Gradually  the  pickers  had  disappeared  from  the  Wilson  field,  and 
we  at  last  followed  them,  warned  by  an  occasional  drop  of  rain  to  seek  the 
vicinity  of  the  house.  Having  reached  the  grassy  slope,  beneath  the 
pines  in  the  rear  of  the  dwelling,  we  turned  to  note  the  pretty  scene. 
A  branch  of  Tanner's  Creek  came  up  almost  to  our  feet,  and  on  either 
side  of  it  stretched  away  long  rows  of  strawberries  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  Toward  these  the  throng  of  pickers  now  drifted,  "  seeking  fresh 
fields  and  pastures  new."  The  motley  crowd  was  streaming  down  on  either 
side  of  the  creek,  while  across  a  little  causeway  came  a  counter  current,  the 
majority  of  them  having  trays  full  of  berries.  The  buyers,  like  the  traders 


128 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


with  the  nomad  Indians,  open  traffic  anywhere,  and  at  the  shortest  notice. 
A  mule-cart  was  stopped,  a  few  empty  crates  taken  off  and  placed  under 
the  pines  at  our  feet,  and  soon  the  grass  was  covered  with  full  quart 
baskets,  for  which  the  pickers  received  tickets  and  then  passed  on,  or,  as 


People  who  "Take  no  Thought." 

was  often  the  case,  threw  themselves  down  in  the  shade.  The  itinerant 
venders  came  flocking  in  like  so  many  buzzards.  There  was  at  once 
chaffering  and  chaffing,  eating  and  drinking.  All  were  merry.  Looking 
on  the  groups  before  us,  one  would  imagine  that  the  sky  was  serene.  And 
yet,  frowning  upon  this  scene  of  careless  security,  this  improvident  disre- 
gard of  a  swiftly  coming  emergency,  was  one  of  the  blackest  of  clouds. 
Every  moment  the  thunder  was  jarring  and  rolling  nearer,  and  yet  this 
jolly  people,  who  "  take  no  thought,"  heeded  not  the  warning.  Even  the 
buyers  and  packers  seemed  infected  with  a  like  spirit,  and  were  leisurely 
packing  in  crates  the  baskets  of  berries  scattered  on  the  grass,  when  sud- 
denly Mr.  Young,  with  his  fleet,  black  horse,  came  flying  down  upon  us. 
Standing  up  in  his  buggy  he  gave  a  dozen  rapid  orders,  like  an  officer  on 
the  field  in  a  critical  moment.  The  women,  who  had  been  lounging  with 
their  hands  on  their  hips,  shuffle  off  with  their  trays ;  half-burned  pipes 
are  hastily  emptied ;  gingerbread,  and  like  delicacies,  are  stuffed  into 
capacious  mouths,  since  hands  must  be  employed  at  once.  Packers, 
mules,  everybody,  everything,  are  put  upon  the  double-quick  to  prepare 
for  the  shower.  It  is  too  late,  however,  for  down  come  the  huge  drops  as 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 


129 


they  can  fall  only  in  the  South.  The  landscape  grows  obscure,  the  forms 
of  the  pickers  in  the  distance  become  dim  and  misty,  and  when  at  last  it 
lightens  up  a  little,  they  have  disappeared  from  the  fields.  There  they  go, 
streaming  and  dripping  toward  the  barns  and  sheds,  looking  as  bedraggled 
as  a  flock  of  black  Spanish  fowls.  Such  of  the  mule-drivers  as  have  been 
caught,  now  that  they  are  in  for  it,  drive  leisurely  by  with  the  heavy 
crates  that  they  should  have  gathered  up  more  promptly. 

The  cloud  did  not  prove  a  passing  one,  and  the  rain  fell  so  long  and 
copiously  that  further  picking  for  the  day  was  abandoned.  Some  jogged  off 
to  the  city,  at  a  pace  that  nothing1  but  a  fiery  storm  could  have  quickened. 
A  hundred  or  two  remained  under  the  sheds,  singing  and  laughing.  Men 
and  women,  and  many  bright  young  negro  girls,  too,  lit  their  pipes  and 
waited  till  they  could  gather  at  the  "  paying  booth,"  near  the  entrance  of 
the  farm,  after  the  rain  was  over.  This  booth  was  a  small  shop,  extempo- 
rized of  rough  boards  by  an  enterprising  grocer  of  the  city.  One  side  was 
open,  like  the  counter  of  a  restaurant,  and  within,  upon  the  grass,  as  yet 


Paying  off  Hands. 

untrodden,  were  barrels  and  boxes  containing  the  edible  enormities  which 
seem  indigenous  to  the  semi-grocery  and  eating-house.  In  most  respects 
the  place  resembled  the  sutler's  stand  of  our  army  days.  There  was  a 
small  window  on  one  end  of  the  booth,  and  at  this  sat  the  grocer,  meta- 
17 


130  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

morphosed  into  a  paymaster,  with  a  huge  bag  of  coin,  which  he  rapidly 
exchanged  for  the  strawberry  tickets.  Our  last  glimpse  of  the  pickers, 
who  had  streamed  out  of  the  city  in  the  gray  dawn,  left  them  in  a  long 
line,  close  as  herrings  in  a  box,  pressing  toward  the  window,  from  which 
came  faintly  the  chink  of  silver. 

As  night  at  last  closed  about  us,  we  realized  the  difference  between  a 
strawberry  farm  and  a  strawberry  bed,  or  "  patch,"  as  country  people  say. 
Here  was  a  large  and  well-developed  business,  which  proved  the  presence 
of  no  small  degree  of  brain  power  and  energy;  and  our  thoughts  naturally 
turned  to  the  proprietor  and  the  methods  by  which  he  achieved  success. 

J.  R.  Young,  Jr.,  is  a  veteran  in  strawberry  culture,  although  but 
twenty-nine  years  of  age.  Mr.  Young,  Sr.,  was  a  Presbyterian  clergyman 
who  always  had  a  leaning  toward  man's  primal  calling.  When  his  son 
was  a  little  boy,  he  was  preaching  at  Plattsburgh,  New  York,  and  to  his 
labors  in  the  spiritual  vineyard  joined  the  care  of  a  garden  that  was  the 
pride  of  the  town.  Mr.  Young,  Jr.,  admits  that  he  hated  weeding  and 
working  among  strawberries  as  much  as  any  other  boy,  until  he  was 
given  a  share  in  the  crop,  and  permitted  to  send  a  few  crates  to  Montreal. 
He  had  seen  but  nine  years  when  he  shipped  his  first  berries  to  market, 
and  every  summer  since,  from  several  widely  separated  localities  and 
with  many  and  varied  experiences,  he  has  sent  to  northern  cities  increas- 
ing quantities  of  his  favorite  fruit.  When  but  fifteen  years  of  age  he  had 
the  entire  charge,  during  the  long  season,  of  three  hundred  "  hands,"  and 
the  large  majority  of  them  were  Irish  women  and  children.  After 
considerable  experience  in  strawberry  farming  in  northern  and  southern 
New  York  and  in  New  Jersey,  his  father  induced  him  to  settle  at  Norfolk, 
Virginia,  and  hither  he  came  about  ten  years  ago.  Now  he  has  under 
his  control  a  farm  of  440  acres,  150  of  which  are  to-day  covered  with 
bearing  strawberry  plants.  In  addition,  he  has  set  out  this  spring  over 
two  million  more  plants,  which  will  occupy  another  hundred  acres,  so 
that  in  1880  he  will  have  250  acres  that  must  be  picked  over  almost 
daily. 

Mr.  Young  prefers  spring  planting  in  operations  upon  a  large  scale. 
Such  a  choice  is  very  natural  in  this  latitude,  for  they  can  begin  setting 
the  first  of  February  and  continue  until  the  middle  of  April.  Therefore, 
nine-tenths  of  the  plants  grown  in  this  region  are  set  out  in  spring.  But 
at  Charleston  and  farther  south,  they  reverse  this  practice,  and,  with  few 
exceptions,  plant  in  the  summer  and  fall,  beginning  as  early  as  July  on 
some  places,  and  continuing  well  into  December. 

I  must  also  state  that  the  finest  new  plantation  that  I  saw  on  Mr. 
Young's  place  was  a  field  of  Seth  Boydens  set  out  in  September. 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South.  131 

This  fact  proves  that  he  could  follow  the  system  of  autumn  planting 
successfully,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  will  regard  this  method 
with  constantly  increasing  favor.  As  an  instance  proving  the  adaptation 
to  this  latitude  of  the  fall  system  of  planting,  I  may  state  that  96,000 
plants  were  sent  to  a  gentleman  at  Richmond,  in  October,  1877,  an<^ 
when  I  visited  his  place,  the  following  spring,  there  was  scarcely  a  break 
in  the  long  rows,  and  nearly  fruit  enough,  I  think,  to  pay  for  the  plants. 
From  his  Seth  Boydens,  set  out  last  September,  Mr.  Young  will  certainly 
pick  enough  berries  to  pay  expenses  thus  far ;  and  at  the  same  time,  the 
plants  are  already  four  times  the  size  of  any  set  out  this  spring.  As  the 
country  about  Norfolk  is  level,  with  spots  where  the  water  would  stand 
in  very  wet  weather,  Mr.  Young  has  it  thrown  up  into  slightly  raised  beds 
two  and  a  half  feet  wide.  This  is  done  by  plows,  after  the  ground  has 
been  thoroughly  prepared  and  leveled  by  a  heavy,  fine-toothed  harrow. 
These  ridges  are  but  four  or  five  inches  high,  and  are  smoothed  off  by  an 
implement  made  for  the  purpose.  Upon  these  beds,  quite  near  the  edges, 
the  plants  are  set  in  rows  twenty  inches  apart,  while  the  depressed  space 
between  the  beds  is  twenty-seven  inches  wide.  This  space  is  also 
designed  for  the  paths.  The  rows  and  the  proper  distances  for  the  plants 
are  designated  by  a  "  marker,"  an  implement  consisting  of  several  wheels 
fastened  to  a  frame  and  drawn  by  hand.  On  the  rim  of  these  wheels  are 
two  knobs  shaped  like  an  acorn.  Each  wheel  marks  a  continuous  line  on 
the  soft  earth,  and  with  each  revolution  the  knobs  make  two  slight  but 
distinct  depressions  twelve  inches  apart ;  or,  if  the  variety  to  be  planted  is 
a  vigorous  grower,  he  uses  another  set  of  wheels  that  indent  the  ground 
every  fifteen  inches.  A  plant  is  dropped  at  each  indentation,  and  a  gang 
of  colored  women  follow  with  trowels,  and,  by  two  or  three  quick,  dexter- 
ous movements,  imbed  the  roots  firmly  in  the  soil.  Some  become  so 
quick  and  skillful  as  to  be  able  to  set  out  six  or  seven  thousand  a  day, 
while  four  or  five  thousand  is  the  average.  With  his  trained  band  of 
twenty  women,  Mr.  Young  calls  the  setting  of  a  hundred  thousand  plants 
a  good  day's  work. 

In  April  commences  the  long  campaign  against  the  weeds,  which 
advance  like  successive  armies.  No  sooner  is  one  growth  slain  than 
a  different  and  perhaps  more  pestiferous  class  rises  in  its  place — the 
worst  of  the  Philistines  being  nut-grass,  quack-grass  and — direst  foe  of 
all  —  wire-grass. 

This  labor  is  reduced  to  its  minimum  by  mule  cultivation,  and  Mr. 
Young  has  on  his  -farm  a  style  of  cultivator  that  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  the  work.  As  this  is  his  own  invention,  I  will  not  describe  it,  but 
merely  state  that  it  enables  him  to  work  very  close  to  the  rows,  and 


132  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

to  stir  the  soil  deeply  without  moving  it  or  covering  the  plants.  These 
cultivators  are  followed  by  women,  with  light,  sharp  hoes,  who  cut  away 
the  few  weeds  left  between  the  plants.  They  handle  these  tools  so 
deftly  that  scarcely  any  weeding  is  left  to  be  done  by  hand ;  for,  by  a 
rapid  encircling  stroke,  they  cut  within  a  half-inch  of  the  plant.  For 
several  years  past,  I  have  urged  upon  Mr.  Young  the  advantage  of 
the  narrow  row  system,  and  his  own  experience  has  led  him  to  adopt 
it.  He  is  now  able  to  keep  his  immense  farm  free  of  weeds  chiefly 
by  mule  labor,  whereas,  in  his  old  system  of  matted  row  culture  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  down  the  grass,  or  prevent  the  ground  from  becoming 
hard  and  dry.  He  now  restricts  his  plants  to  hills  or  "stools,"  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  inches  apart.  The  runners  are  cut  from  time  to  time  with 
shoe-knives,  the  left  hand  gathering  them  up  by  a  single  rapid  movement, 
and  the  right  hand  severing  them  by  a  stroke.  One  woman  will,  by 
this  method,  clip  the  runners  from  several  acres  during  the  growing 
season.  To  keep  his  farm  in  order,  Mr.  Young  must  employ  seventy- 
five  hands  through  the  summer.  The  average  wages  for  women  is  fifty 
cents,  and  for  men  seventy-five  to  ninety  cents.  In  the  item  of  cheap 
labor  the  South  has  the  advantage  of  the  North. 

With  the  advent  of  autumn,  the  onslaught  of  weeds  gradually 
ceases,  and  there  is  some  respite  in  the  labors  of  a  Virginia  strawberry 
farm. 

At  Charleston  and  farther  south,  this  respite  is  brief,  for  the  winters 
there  are  so  mild  that  certain  kinds  of  weeds  will  grow  all  the  time, 
and  early  in  February  they  must  begin  to  cultivate  the  ground  and 
mulch  the  plants  for  bearing. 

Bordering  on  Mr.  Young's  farm,  and  farther  up  the  creek,  there  are 
hundreds  of  acres  of  salt  meadows.  From  these  he  has  cut,  in  the 
autumn  and  early  winter,  two  hundred  tons  of  hay,  and  with  his  lighter 
floats  it  down  to  his  wharf.  In  December,  acre  after  acre  is  covered 
until  all  the  plants  are  quite  hidden  from  view.  In  the  spring,  this 
winter  mulch  is  left  upon  the  ground  as  the  summer  mulch,  the  new 
growth  in  most  instances  pushing  its  way  through  it  readily.  When  it  is 
too  thick  to  permit  this,  it  is  pushed  aside  from  the  crowns  of  the  plants. 

Thus  far  he  has  given  the  bearing  fields  no  spring  culture,  adopt- 
ing the  common  theory  that  the  ground  around  the  plants  must  not 
be  disturbed  at  this  season.  I  advocate  the  opposite  view,  and  believe 
in  early  spring  culture,  as  I  have  already  explained;  and  I  think  his 
experience  this  year  will  lead  him  to  give  my  method  a  trial  in  1880. 
The  latter  part  of  April  and  early  May  was  very  dry  at  Norfolk,  and 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South.  133 

the  ground  between  the  bearing  plants  became  parched,  hard,  and  in 
many  instances  full  of  weeds  that  had  been  developing  through  the  long, 
mild  spring  of  this  region.  Now  I  am  satisfied  that  if  he,  and  all  others 
in  this  region  who  adopt  the  narrow  row  system,  would  loosen  the 
ground  deeply  with  a  subsoil  plow  early  in  the  season,  before  the  plants 
had  made  any  growth,  and  then  stir  and  pulverize  all  the  surface 
between  the  plants  in  the  rows,  they  would  increase  the  size  and  quan- 
tity of  the  berries  at  least  one-third,  and  in  many  instances  double  the 
crop.  It  would  require  a  very  severe  drought,  indeed,  to  injure  plants 
thus  treated,  and  it  is  well  known,  also,  that  a  porous,  mellow  soil  will 
best  endure  too  frequent  rains.  I  have  sometimes  thought  that  light 
and  air  are  as  indispensable  to  the  roots  of  plants  as  to  the  foliage. 

The  winter  mulch  need  not  prevent  this  spring  culture.  Let  the 
men  begin  on  one  side  of  a  field,  and  rake  inward  until  half  a  dozen 
rows  are  uncovered.  Down  through  these  the  subsoil  plow  and  the 
cultivator  can  pass.  Then  the  hay  can  be  raked  back  again  as  the 
summer  mulch,  and  a  new  space  cleared,  until  the  whole  field  is  culti- 
vated and  the  mulch  left  as  it  was  before. 

Now,  however,  it  is  not  a  surface  like  hard-pan  that  is  covered,  but  a 
mellow  soil  in  which  the  roots  can  luxuriate. 

Mr.  Young  uses  fertilizers,  especially  those  containing  ammonia,  only 
to  a  limited  extent,  believing  that  while  they  undoubtedly  increase  the 
size  of  the  fruit,  they  also  render  it  soft  and  unfit  for  long  carriage,  and 
promote  an  undue  growth  of  vine.  This  theory  is  true,  to  a  certain 
extent,  but  I  think  the  compensating  benefits  of  fertilizers  of  almost  any 
kind  far  outweigh  the  disadvantages.  At  his  distance  from  the  market, 
firmness  in  the  berry  is  essential,  but  I  think  he  will  find  this  quality  is 
dependent  more  upon  the  weather  and  the  variety  than  upon  the  fertilizer. 
Of  course,  over-stimulation  by  hot  manures  will  always  produce  an 
unwholesome,  perishable  growth,  but  a  good  coat  of  well-rotted  compost 
scattered  down  the  rows,  just  before  they  receive  their  fall  or  spring  culture, 
would  be  exceedingly  beneficial  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten.  I  most  heartily 
agree  with  him,  however,  that  all  fertilizers  containing  potash  are  pecul- 
iarly adapted  to  the  strawberry. 

Having  considered  his  methods  of  planting  and  culture,  we  now 
return  again  to  the  culminating  period  in  which  the  hopes  and  labors  of 
the  year  are  rewarded  or  disappointed.  When  we  awoke  the  morning 
following  our  arrival,  we  found  the  landscape  obscured  by  a  dense  fog. 
Through  this,  in  dim,  uncertain  outline,  throngs  of  pickers  were  streaming 
out  from  the  city  to  Mr.  Young's  place  and  the  strawberry  farms  beyond. 


134  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

The  broad  fields  seemed  all  the  more  vast  from  the  obscurity,  and  the 
stooping  forms  of  the  fruit-gatherers  took  on  odd  and  fantastic  shapes  in 
the  silvery  mist. 

But  while  we  drank  our  coffee  the  sun  sipped  these  morning  vapors, 
and  when  we  stepped  out  under  the  pines,  the  day  was  hourly  growing 
brighter  and  warmer.  The  balmy,  fragrant  air,  the  meadow  larks  singing 
in  the  distance,  the  cheery  voices  of  the  pickers  in  an  adjacent  field, 
would  tempt  gloom  itself  to  forget  its  care  and  stroll  away  through  the 
sunlight. 

The  pickers  were  beginning  to  take  possession  of  a  field  containing 
thirty  acres  of  Triomphe  de  Gands,  and  we  followed  them,  and  there  lit 
on  one  of  the  oddest  characters  on  the  plantation  —  "Sam  Jubilee,"  the 
"  row-man,"  black  as  night,  short,  stout,  and  profane.  It  is  Sam's  busi- 
ness to  give  each  picker  a  row  of  berries,  and  he  carries  a  brass-headed 
cane  as  the  baton  of  authority.  As  we  came  up,  he  was  whirling  a  glazed 
hat  of  portentous  size  in  one  hand,  and  gesticulating  so  wildly  with  his 
cane  that  one  might  think  he  was  in  convulsions  of  rage,  but  we  soon 
learned  that  this  was  "  his  way." 

"  Heah,  you,  dah  !"  he  vociferated,  to  the  slouching,  leisurely  pickers 
that  were  drifting  after  him,  "  what 's  de  matter  wid  yer  j'ints  ?  Step 

along  lively,  or,  by "  and  then  came  a  volley  of  the  most  outlandish 

oaths  ever  uttered  by  a  human  tongue. 

"  Don't  swear  so,  Sam,"  said  Mr.  Young. 

"  Can't  help  it,  sah.  Dey  makes  me  swar.  Feels  as  if  I  could  bust 
inter  ten  thousand  emptins,  dey  's  so  agerwatin.  Heah,  my  sister,  take  dat 
row.  You,  gemlin"  (to  a  white  man),  "  take  dat.  Heah,  chile,  step  in  dar 
an'  pick  right  smart,  or  I  '11  warm  yer !  " 

Sam  "  brothers  and  sisters  "  the  motley  crowd  he  domineers  like  a 
colored  preacher,  but  I  fear  he  is  not  "  in  good  and  regular  standing  "  in 
any  church  in  Norfolk. 

"  He  can  give  out  rows  more  rapidly  and  systematically  than  any  man 
I  ever  had,"  said  Mr.  Young,  and  we  soon  observed  that  wherever  Jubilee 
led,  with  his  stentorian  voice  and  emphatic  gestures,  there  was  life  and 
movement.  Thus  we  learned  that  although  there  might  be  1,500  people 
in  the  fields,  there  was  no  hap-hazard  picking.  Each  one  would  be 
assigned  a  row,  which  could  not  be  left  until  all  the  ripe  berries  on  it  were 
gathered. 

Passing  to  and  fro  across  the  fields  are  the  two  chief  overseers  of  the 
farm,  Harrison  and  Peters,  both  apparently  full-blooded  negroes,  but,  in 
the  vernacular  of  the  South,  "  right  smart  men."  They  have  been  with 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 


135 


Mr.  Young  eight  or  ten  years,  and  were  promoted  and  maintain  their 
position  solely  on  the  ground  of  ability  and  faithfulness.  They  go  rapidly 
from  one  to  another,  noting  whether  they  are  picking  the  rows  clean. 
They  also  take  from  each  tray  a  basket  at  random,  and  empty  it  into 
another,  thus  discovering  who  are  gathering  green  or  imperfect  berries. 
If  the  fruit  falls  much  below  the  accepted  standard,  the  baskets  are  confis- 
cated and  no  tickets  given  for  them,  and  if  the  picker  continues  careless 
he  is  sent  out  of  the  field. 

Mr.  Young  says  that  he  has  never  found  any  white  overseers  who 
could  equal  these  men,  and  through  the  long  year  they  drive  on  the  work 
with  tireless  energy. 

Indeed,  Peters  often  has  much  ado  to  keep  his  energy  under  control. 


An  Overseer — "  A  little  brief  authority." 

A  powerful  engine  cannot  always  be  safe,  and  Peters  slipped  his  bands 
one  day  to  his  cost.  A  woman  would  not  obey  him,  and  he  threatened 
her  with  a  pistol.  Instead  of  obeying,  she  started  to  run.  He  fired  and 
wounded  her  twice,  and  then  tried  to  get  off  on  the  lame  excuse  that  he 
did  not  know  the  pistol  was  loaded.  The  trouble  was  that  he  was  over- 
loaded. But  his  offense  resulted  more  from  these  characteristics  than  from 
innate  ugliness  of  temper.  To  make  the  business  of  the  huge  farm  go 
has  become  his  controlling  passion,  and  he  chafes  at  an  obstacle  like  an 
obstructed  torrent. 


136  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Harrison,  his  associate  overseer,  unites  more  discretion  with  his  force, 
and  he  gave  us  an  example  of  this  fact.  As  we  were  strolling  about,  we 
found,  seated  at  the  end  of  the  strawberry  rows,  a  group  consisting  of  two 
young  women  and  two  children,  with  a  colored  man  standing  near.  They 
had  been  picking  in  partnership,  we  were  informed  by  one  of  the  young 
women,  who  was  smoking  a  pipe,  and  who  replied  to  our  questions, 
scarcely  taking  the  trouble  to  look  up.  She  was  about  half  white,  and  her 
face  was  singularly  expressive  of  sensuousness  and  indolent  recklessness. 

"This  man  is  your  husband  ?"  I  suggested. 

"No,  he  's  only  my  brudder.  My  ole  man  is  picking  on  anoder  farm," 
she  drawled  out,  between  the  whiffs  of  her  pipe. 

"  I  should  •  think  you  and  your  husband  would  work  together,"  I 
ventured. 

"We  doesn't.  He  goes  about  his  business  and  I  goes  about  mine," 
she  remarked,  with  languid  complacency. 

Here  is  a  character,  I  thought,  as  we  passed  on, —  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  a  certain  kind  of  willfulness.  She  would  not  resist  or  chafe  at 
authority,  but,  with  an  easy,  good-natured,  don't  care  expression,  would 
do  as  she  pleased  "  though  the  heavens  fell."  A  little  later  there  was  a 
heavy  rumble  of  thunder  in  the  west,  and  we  met  again  the  young  woman 
whose  marital  relations  resembled  those  of  many  of  her  fashionable  sisters 
at  the  North.  She  was  leading  her  small  band  from  the  field.  The 
prospective  shower  was  her  excuse  for  going,  but  laziness  the  undoubted 
cause.  Harrison,  like  a  vigilant  watch-dog,  spied  them  and  blustered  up, 
never  for  a  moment  doubting  that  she  would  yield  to  his  authority. 

But  he  had  met  his  match.  She  merely  looked  at  him  with  her  slow, 
quiet,  indolent  smile,  in  which  there  was  not  the  faintest  trace  of  irreso- 
lution or  fear,  and  he  knew  that  the  moment  he  stepped  out  of  the  way, 
she  would  pass  on.  His  loud  expostulations  and  threats  soon  ceased. 
What  could  he  do  with  that  laughing  woman,  who  no  doubt  had  been  a 
slave,  but  was  now  emancipated  a  trifle  too  completely  ?  He  might  as 
well  try  to  stop  a  sluggish  tide  with  his  hands.  It  would  ooze  away  from 
him  inevitably.  The  instincts  of  this  people  are  quick.  Harrison  knew 
he  was  defeated,  and  his  only  anxiety  now  was  to  retreat  in  a  way  that 
would  save  appearances. 

"  I'se  a-gwine  home,  M's'r  Harrison/'  she  said  quietly.  "  You  don't 
catch  us  gittin'  wet  ag'in." 

"  Oh,  well,  if  you  is  'fraid  ob  gittin'  wet,  s'pose  I'll  habe  to  let  you  off 
jus'  dis  once,"  he  began  pompously  ;  and  here,  fortunately,  he  saw  a  man 
leaving  the  field  in  the  distance.  There  was  a  subject  with  which  he 


Methods  of  Culttire  in  the  South.  137 

could  deal,  and  a  line  of  retreat  open  at  the  same  time,  and  away  he 
went,  therefore,  vociferating  all  the  more  loudly  that  he  might  cover  his 
discomfiture.  The  woman  smiled  a  little  more  complacently  and  went 
on,  with  her  old  easy,  don't-care  swing,  as  she  undoubtedly  will, 
whithersoever  her  inclinations  lead,  to  the  end  of  her  life.  To  crys- 
tallize such  wayward  human  atoms  into  proper  forms,  and  make  them 
useful,  is  a  problem  that  would  puzzle  wiser  heads  than  that  of  the 
overseer. 

I  think,  however,  that  not  only  Harrison  and  Peters,  but  all  who  have 
charge  of  working  people,  rely  too  much  on  driving,  and  too  little  on 
encouraging  and  coaxing.  An  incident  which  occurred  may  illustrate 
this  truth.  My  companion,  Mr.  Drake,  soon  mastered  one  of  the  labors 
of  a  strawberry  farm, — the  gathering  of  the  fruit, —  and  out  of  the  pleni- 
tude of  his  benevolence  essayed  to  teach  a  little  sable  how  he  could 
pick  to  better  advantage. 

"  Put  your  basket  down,  sonny,"  he  said.  "  Now  you  have  two 
hands  to  work  with  instead  of  one — so,  don't  you  see  ?" 

"  Dat  's  mighty  good  in  you,  Mas'r,"  said  a  woman  near.  "  Lor  bress 
you  !  de  people  'ud  jess  jump  over  derselves  tryin  to  do  the  work  if  dey 
got  sich  good  words,  but  de  oberseer  's  so  cross  dat  we  gits  'umptous  and 
don't  keer." 

Still,  to  the  majority,  the  strawberry  season  brings  the  halcyon  days 
of  the  year.  They  look  forward  to  it  and  enjoy  it  as  a  prolonged  picnic, 
in  which  business  and  pleasure  are  equally  combined.  They  are  essen- 
tially gregarious,  and  this  industry  brings  many  together  during  the  long 
bright  days.  The  light  work  leaves  their  tongues  free,  and  families  and 
neighbors  pick  together  with  a  ceaseless  chatter,  a  running  fire  of  rude, 
broad  pleasantry,  intermingled  occasionally  with  a  windy  war  of  words  in 
a  jargon  that  becomes  all  the  more  uncouth  from  anger,  but  which  rarely 
ends  in  blows. 

We  were  continually  impressed  by  their  courage,  buoyancy,  animal 
spirits,  or  whatever  it  is  that  enables  them  to  face  their  uncertain  future  so 
unconcernedly.  Multitudes  live  like  the  birds,  not  knowing  where  their 
next  year's  nest  will  be,  or  how  to-morrow's  food  will  come.  It  has  come, 
thus  far,  and  this  fact  seems  enough.  In  many  instances,  however,  their 
humble  fortunes  are  built  on  the  very  best  foundations. 

"What  can  you  do  after  the  berry  season  is  over?"  we  asked  a  woman 
who  had  but  one  arm. 

"  I  kin  do  what  any  other  woman  kin  do,"  she  said,  straightening  her- 
self up.  "  I  kin  bake,  cook,  wash,  iron,  scrub " 

18 


138  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

"  That  will  do,"  I  cried.  "  You  are  better  off  than  most  of  us,  for  the 
world  will  always  need  and  pay  for  your  accomplishments." 

The  story  of  her  life  was  a  simple  one.  She  did  not  remember  when 
she  lost  her  arm,  but  only  knew  that  it  had  been  burned  off.  When 
scarcely  more  than  an  infant,  she  had  been  left  alone  in  the  little  cabin  by 
the  slave  mother,  who  probably  was  toiling  in  the  tobacco  field.  There 
was  a  fire  on  the  hearth — the  rest  can  be  imagined  only  too  vividly.  She 
is  fighting  out  the  battle  of  life,  however,  more  successfully  with  her  one 
hand  than  are  multitudes  of  men  with  two.  She  is  stout  and  cheery,  and 
can  "  take  keer  of  herself  and  children,"  she  said. 

Scattered  here  and  there  over  the  fields  might  be  seen  two  heads  that 
would  keep  in  rather  close  juxtaposition  up  and  down  the  long  rows. 

"Dey  's  pairin'  off,"  was  the  explanation. 

"  You  keep  de  tickets,"  said  a  buxom  young  woman  to  her  mate,  as 
he  was  about  to  take  her  tray,  as  well  as  his  own,  to  the  buyers. 

"  You  are  in  partnership,"  I  remarked. 

"Yes,  we  is,"  she  replied,  with  a  conscious  laugh. 

"  You  are  related,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"Well,  not  'zackly —  dat  is — we 's  partners." 

"  How  about  this  partnership  business — does  it  not  last  sometimes 
after  the  strawberry  season  is  over  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Lor',  yes ! "  Heaps  on  'em  gits  fallen  in  love ;  den  dey  gits 
a-marryin',  arter  de  pickin'  time  is  done  gone  by." 

"  Now  I  see  what  your  partnership  means." 

"Yah,  yah,  yah !  You  sees  a  heap  more  dan  I  's  told  you  !"  But  her 
partner  grinned  most  approvingly.  We  were  afterward  informed  that 
there  was  no  end  to  the  love-making  among  the  strawberry  rows. 

There  are  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  pickers  in  a  squad, 
and  these  are  in  charge  of  subordinate  overseers,  who  are  continually 
moving  around  among  them,  on  the  watch  for  delinquencies  of  all  kinds. 
Some  of  these  minor  potentates  are  white  and  some  black.  As  a  rule, 
Mr.  Young  gives  the  blacks  the  preference,  and  on  strictly  business 
principles,  too.  "The  colored  men  have  more  snap,  and  can  get  more 
work  out  of  their  own  people,"  he  says.  By  means  of  these  sub- 
overseers,  large  numbers  can  be  transferred  from  one  part  of  the  farm 
to  another  without  confusion. 

Fortunes  are  never  made  in  gathering  strawberries,  and  yet  there 
seems  no  dearth  of  pickers.  The  multitude  of  men,  women  and  children 
that  streams  out  into  the  country  every  morning  is  surprisingly  large. 
Five  or  six  thousand  bushels  a  day  are  often  gathered  in  the  vicinity 
of  Norfolk,  and  the  pickers  rarely  average  over  a  bushel  each.  "  Right 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 


139 


smart  hands,"  who  have  the  good  hap  to  be  given  full  rows,  will  occa- 
sionally pick  two  bushels ;  but  about  thirty  quarts  per  day  is  the  usual 
amount,  while  not  a  few  of  the  lazy  and  feeble  bring  in  only  eight  or  ten. 

As  has  been  already  suggested, 
the  pickers  are  followed  by  the  buyers 
and  packers,  and  to  these  men,  at 
central  points  in  the  fields,  the  mule- 
carts  bring  empty  crates.  The  pickers 
carry  little  trays  containing  six  baskets, 
each  holding  a  quart.  As  fast  as  they 
fill  these,  they  flock  in  to  the  buyers. 
If  a  trayful,  or  six  good  quarts,  are 
offered,  the  buyer  gives  the  picker  a 
yellow  ticket,  worth  twelve  cents.  When 
less  than  six  baskets  are  brought,  each 
basket  is  paid  for  with  a  green  ticket, 
worth  two  cents.  These  two  tickets 
are  eventually  exchanged  for  a  white 
fifty-cent  ticket,  which  is  cashed  at  the 
paying-booth  after  the  day's  work  is 
over.  The  pickers,  therefore,  receive 
two  cents  for  every  quart  of  good, 
salable  berries.  If  green,  muddy,  or 
decayed  berries  are  brought  in,  they 
are  thrown  away  or  confiscated,  and 
incorrigibly  careless  pickers  are  driven 
off  the  place.  Every  morning,  the 
buyers  take  out  as  many  tickets  of 
these  three  values  as  they  think  they 
can  use,  and  are  charged  with  the  same 
by  the  book-keeper.  Their  voucher  for 
all  they  pay  out  is  another  ticket,  on 
which  is  printed  "  Forty-five  quarts," 
or  just  a  crateful.  Only  Mr.  Young 
and  one  other  person  have  a  right  to 
give  out  the  last-named  tickets,  and  by  night  each  buyer  must  have 
enough  of  them  to  balance  the  other  tickets  with  which  he  was  charged 
in  the  morning.  Thus,  thousands  of  dollars  change  hands  through  the 
medium  of  four  kinds  of  tickets  not  over  an  inch  square,  and  by  means 
of  them  the  financial  part  of  gathering  the  crop  is  managed. 

In  previous    years,  these  tickets  were  received   the  same   as  money 


A  Picker. 


140 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


by  any  of  the  shops  in  the  city,  and  on  one  occasion  were  counterfeited. 
Mr.  Young  now  has  his  own  printing-office,  and  gets  them  up  in  a  way 
not  easily  imitated,  nor  does  he  issue  them  until  just  as  the  fruit  begins 
to  ripen.  He  has,  moreover,  given  authority  to  one  man  only  to  cash 
these  tickets.  Thus  there  is  little  chance  for  rascality. 

He  also  requires  that  no  tickets  shall  be  cashed  until  the  fields  have 
all  been  picked  over.  Were  it  not  for  this  regulation,  the  lazy  and  the 
"  bummers  "  would  earn  enough  merely  to  buy  a  few  drinks,  then  slink 


Exchanging  and  Counting  Tickets. 


off.  Now  they  must  remain  until  all  are  through  before  they  can  get  a 
cent.  Peters  and  Harrison  see  to  it  that  none  are  lying  around  in  the 
shade,  and  thus,  through  the  compulsion  of  system,  many,  no  doubt,  are 
surprised  to  find  themselves  at  work  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 

And  yet  neither  system  nor  Peters,  with  even  his  sanguinary  reputa- 
tion, is  able  alone  to  control  the  hordes  employed.  Of  course  the  very 
dregs  of  the  population  are  largely  represented.  Many  go  out  on  a 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South.  141 

"  lark,"  not  a  few  to  steal,  and  some  with  the  basest  purposes.  Walking 
continually  back  and  forth  through  the  fields,  therefore,  are  two  duly 
authorized  constables,  and  their  presence  only  prevents  a  great  deal  of 
crime.  Moreover,  according  to  Virginian  law,  every  landholder  has  the 
right  to  arrest  thieves  and  trespassers.  Up  to  the  time  of  our  visit,  five 
persons  had  been  arrested,  and  the  fact  that  they  were  all  white  does  not 
speak  very  well  for  our  color.  The  law  of  the  State  requires  that  they 
shall  be  punished  by  so  many  lashes,  according  to  the  gravity  of  the  offense, 
and  by  imprisonment.  The  whipping-post  is  one  of  the  institutions,  and 
man  or  woman,  white  or  black,  against  whom  the  crime  of  stealing  is 
proved,  is  stripped  to  the  waist  and  lashed  upon  the  bare  back.  Such 
ignominious  punishment  may  prevent  theft,  but  it  must  tend  to  destroy 
every  vestige  of  self-respect  and  pride  in  criminals,  and  render  them  hope 
lessly  reckless.  Therefore,  it  should  cease  at  once. 

It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  very  little  lawlessness  was  apparent. 
In  no  instance  have  I  received  a  rude  word  while  traveling  in  the  South, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  courtesy  and  kindness  were  almost  unstinted. 

The  negroes  about  Norfolk  certainly  do  not  wear  an  intimidated  or 
"  bull-dozed  "  air. 

"  Git  off  my  row,  dar,  or  I  '11  bust  yo'  head  open,"  shouted  a  tall, 
strapping  colored  girl  to  a  white  man,  and  he  got  off  her  row  with  alacrity. 

Mr.  Young  says  that  the  negro  laborers  are  easily  managed,  and  will 
endure  a  great  deal  of  severity  if  you  deal  "  squarely  "  with  them ;  but  if 
you  wrong  them  out  of  even  five  cents,  they  will  never  forget  it.  What 's 
more,  every  citizen  of  "  Blackville  "  will  be  informed  of  the  fact,  for  what 
one  knows  they  all  seem  to  know  very  soon. 

We  were  not  long  in  learning  to  regard  the  strawberry  farm  as  a  little 
world  within  itself.  It  would  be  difficult  to  make  the  reader  understand 
its  life  and  "  go  "  at  certain  hours  of  the  day.  Scores  are  coming  and 
going ;  hundreds  dot  the  fields ;  carts  piled  up  with  crates  are  moving 
hither  and  thither.  At  the  same  time,  the  regular  toil  of  cultivation  is 
maintained.  Back  and  forth  between  the  young  plants  mules  are  drawing 
cultivators,  and  following  these  come  a  score  or  two  women  with  light, 
sharp  hoes.  From  the  great  crate  manufactory  is  heard  the  whir  of 
machinery  and  the  click  of  hammers ;  at  intervals  the  smithy  sends  forth 
its  metallic  voice,  while  from  one  center  of  toil  and  interest  to  another  the 
proprietor  whisks  in  his  open  buggy  at  a  speed  that  often  seems  perilous. 

After  all,  Mr.  Young's  most  efficient  aid  in  his  business  was  his  father 
(recently  deceased).  It  gave  me  pleasure  to  note  the  frequency  and 
deference  with  which  the  senior's  judgment  was  consulted,  and  I  also- 


142  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

observed  that  wherever  the  old  gentleman's  umbrella  was  seen  in  the 
field,  all  went  well. 

At  four  or  five  in  the  afternoon,  the  whole  area  would  be  picked  over. 
The  fields  would  be  left  to  meadow-larks  and  quails,  whose  liquid  notes 
well  replaced  the  songs  and  cries  of  the  pickers.  Here  and  there  a  mule-cart 
would  come  straggling  in.  By  night,  all  signs  of  life  were  concentrated 
around  the  barns  and  paying  booth ;  but  even  from  these  one  after  another 
would  drift  away  to  the  city,  till  at  last  scarcely  a  vestige  of  the  hurry 
and  business  of  the  day  would  be  left.  The  deep  hush  and  quiet  that 
settled  down  on  the  scene  was  all  the  more  delightful  from  contrast.  To 
listen  to  the  evening  wind  among  the  pines,  to  watch  the  sun  drop  below 
the  spires' of  Norfolk,  and  see  the  long  shadows  creep  toward  us;  to  let  our 
thoughts  flit  whither  they  would,  like  the  birds  about  us,  was  all  the 
occupation  we  craved  at  this  hour.  Were  we  younger  and  more  romantic, 
we  might  select  this  witching  time  for  a  visit  to  an  ancient  grave  in  one  of 
the  strawberry  fields. 

A  mossy,  horizontal  slab  marks  the  spot,  and  beneath  it  reposes  the 
dust  of  a  young  English  officer.  One  bright  June  day — so  the  legend  is 
told  —  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years  ago,  this  man,  in  the  early  summer 
of  his  life,  was  killed  in  a  duel. 

Lingering  here,  through  the  twilight,  until  the  landscape  grows  as 
obscure  as  this  rash  youth's  history,  what  fancies  some  might  weave.  As 
the  cause  of  the  tragedy,  one  would  scarcely  fail  to  see  among  the  shadows 
the  dim  form  and  features  of  some  old-time  belle,  whose  smiles  had 
kindled  the  fierce  passion  that  was  here  quenched,  more  than  a  century 
since.  Did  she  marry  the  rival,  of  surer  aim  and  cooler  head  and  heart,  or 
did  she  haunt  this  place  with  regretful  tears  ?  Did  she  become  a  stout, 
prosaic  woman,  and  end  her  days  in  whist  and  all  the  ancient  proprieties, 
or  fade  into  a  remorseful  wraith  that  stilt  haunts  her  unfortunate  lover's 
grave?  One  shivers,  and  grows  superstitious.  The  light  twinkling 
from  the  windows  of  the  cottage  under  the  pines  becomes  very  attractive. 
As  we  fall  asleep  after  such  a  visit,  we  like  to  think  of  the  meadow-larks 
singing  on  the  mossy  tombstone  in  the  morning. 

During  a  rainy  day,  when  driven  from  the  field,  we  found  plenty  to 
interest  us  in  the  printing-office,  smithy,  and  especially  in  the  huge  crate 
manufactory.  Here  were  piled  up  coils  of  baskets  that  suggested  straw- 
berries for  a  million  supper-tables.  Hour  after  hour  the  mule-power 
engine  drove  saws,  with  teeth  sharper  than  those  of  time,  through  the  pine- 
boards  that  soon  become  crates  for  the  round  quart  baskets.  These  crates 
were  painted  green,  marked  with  Mr.  Young's  name,  and  piled  to  the 
lofty,  cobwebbed  ceiling. 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 

But  Saturday  is    the    culminating   period  of  the    week.     The    huge 
plantation  has  been  gone  over  closely  and  carefully,  for  the  morrow  is 

Sunday,  on  which  day  the 
birds  are  the  only  pickers. 
Around  the  office,  crate  man- 
ufactory and  paying  booth, 
were  gathered  over  a  thou- 
sand people — a  motley  and 
variegated  crowd,  that  the 
South  only  can  produce.  The 
odd  and  often  coarse  jargon, 
the  infinite  variety  in  appear- 
ance and  character,  suggested 
again  that  humanity  is  a 
very  tangled  problem.  The 
shrewdness  and  accuracy, 
however,  with  which  the 
most  ignorant  count  their 
tickets  and  reckon  their  dues 
on  their  fingers,  is  a  trait 
characteristic  of  all,  and, 
having  received  the  few  shil- 
lings, which  mean  a  luxurious 
Sunday,  they  trudge  off  to 
town,  chattering  volubly, 
whether  any  one  listens  or  not. 


Making  Crates. 

But  many  cannot  resist 
the  rollicking  music  back  of 
the  paying  booth.  Three 
sable  musicians  form  the 
orchestra,  and  from  a  bass 
viol,  fiddle,  and  fife  they  extract  melody  that,  with  all  its  short-coming, 
would  make  a  deacon  wish  to  dance.  Any  one,  white  or  black,  can 


Exterior  of  Factory. 


144 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


purchase  the  privilege  of  keeping  step  to  the  music  for  two  cents,  or  one 
strawbe-rry  ticket.  Business  was  superb,  and  every  shade  of  color  and 
character  was  represented.  In  the  vernacular  of  the  farm,  the  mulatto  girls 
are  called  "  strawberry  blondes,"  and  one  that  would  have  attracted  atten- 
tion anywhere  was  led  out  by  a  droll,  full-blooded  negro,  who  would  have 
made  the  fortune  of  a  minstrel  troupe.  She  was  tall  and  willowy.  A 
profusion  of  dark  hair  curled  about  an  oval  face,  not  too  dark  to  prevent  a 
faint  color  of  the  strawberry  from  glowing  in  her  cheeks.  She  wore  neither 
hat  nor  shoes,  but  was  as  unembarrassed,  apparently,  in  her  one  close- 
fitting  garment,  as  could  be  any  ball-room  belle  dressed  in  the  latest  mode. 
Another  blonde,  who  sported  torn  slippers  and  white  stockings,  was  in 


Rushing  the  Last  Lot. 

danger  of  being  spoiled  by  much  attention.  As  a  rule,  however,  bare 
feet  were  nothing  against  a  "  lady  "  in  the  estimation  of  the  young  men. 
At  any  rate,  all  who  could  spare  a  berry  ticket  speedily  found  a  partner, 
and,  as  we  rode  away  from  the  farm,  the  last  sounds  were  those  of  music 
and  merriment,  and  our  last  glimpse  was  of  the  throng  of  dancers  on  the 
green. 

The  confused  uproar  and  rush  of  business  around  the  Old  Dominion 
steamship  made  a  marked  contrast.  To  the  ample  wharves  every  species 
of  vehicle  had  been  coming  all  day,  while  all  kinds  of  craft,  from  a  skiff  to 


Methods  of  Culture  in  the  South. 


large  two-masted  schooner,  waiting  their  turn  to  discharge  their  freight 
>f  berry  crates  and  garden  produce,  reached  half  across  the  Elizabeth 
iver.  The  rumble  of  the  trucks  was  almost  like  the  roar  of  thunder,  as 
>res  of  negroes  hustled  crates,  barrels  and  boxes  aboard.  Most  of  the 
time,  they  were  on  a  good  round  trot,  and  one  had  to  pick  his  way  with 
ire ;  for,  apparently,  the  truck  was  as  thoughtful  as  the  trundler. 

As  the  long  twilight  fades  utterly  into  night,  the  last  crate  is  aboard, 
ic  dusky  forms  of  the  stevedores  are  seen  in  an  old  pontoon-shaped 
it  on  their  way  to  Portsmouth,  but  their  outlines,  and  the  melody  of 
icir  rude  song,  are  soon  lost  in  the  distance.     The  ship,  that  has  become 
like  a  huge  section  of  Washington  Market,  casts  off  her  lines,  and  away 
re  steam,  diffusing  on  the  night  air  the  fragrance  of  a  thousand  acres, 
lore  or  less,  of  strawberries. 

It  was  late  in  the  night  that  followed  the  next  day  before  we  reached 
few  York,  but  on  the  great  covered  wharf,  to  which  was  given  a  noon- 
lay  glare  by  electric  lights,  there  was  no  suggestion  of  the  darkness  and 
tin  without.      Various  numbers,  prominent  on  the  sides  of  the  building, 
•indicated  the  lines  of  transit  and    the  commission  houses  to  which  the 
immense,  indiscriminate  cargo  was  assigned.     With  a  heavy  jar  and  rumble 
that  would  not  cease  till  the  ship  was  empty,  a  throng  of  white  laborers 
each  package  to  its  proper  place.      Mr.  Young's  crates  soon  grew 
|into  what  seemed,  in  the  distance,  a  good-sized  mound.     The  number 
ibove  them  stood  for  Eldridge  &  Carpenter,  West  Washington  Market. 
Thither  we   followed   them  the  next  morning,  but  found   that  the   most 
)f  them  had  already  been  scattered  throughout  the  city,  and  realized  that 
,the  berries  we  had  seen  a  few  hours  before  on  the  strawberry  farm  were 
then  on  uptown  breakfast- tables. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


FORCING    STRAWBERRIES    UNDER    GLASS. 


TRAINED  gardeners  need  no  instruction  from  me  on  this  topic. 
There  may  be  those,  however,  who  have  never  given  the  subject 
attention,  and  who  would  be  glad  to  learn  some  of  the  first  principles  of 
success  in  forcing  this  fruit  for  market,  while  a  still  larger  number,  having 
small  conservatories  and  warm  south  windows,  would  be  pleased  to  see 
a  few  strawberries  blossoming  and  ripening,  as  an  earnest  of  the  coming 
June.  There  are  no  greater  difficulties  in  the  way  than  in  having  flowers, 
for  it  is  merely^  question  of  doing  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time.  I  do 
not  believe  in  a  system  of  minute,  arbitrary  directions,  so  much  as  in  the 
clear  statement  of  a  few  general  principles  that  will  suggest  what  ought 
to  be  done.  The  strawberry  plant  has  the  same  character  indoors  as 
out,  and  this  fact  alone,  in  view  of  what  has  been  written,  should  suggest 
moisture,  coolness,  light  and  air.  I  shall  endeavor  to  present,  however, 
each  successive  step. 

First,  prepare  a  compost  of  thoroughly  rotted  sods  and  the  cleanings 
of  the  cow-stable,  in  the  proportion  of  three  parts  sod-mold  to  one  of 
manure.  In  the  place  of  sods,  decayed  leaves,  muck,  sweetened  by  a 
year's  exposure  to  air  and  frost,  or  any  good,  rich  loam  will  answer.  With 
this  compost,  made  fine  and  clean  by  passing  it  through  a  coarse  sieve, 
fill  in  June,  and  not  later  than  July,  as  many  three-inch  pots  as  you 
desire  ;  then  sink  them  to  their  rims  along  the  sides  of  the  rows  from  which 
you  propose  to  obtain  winter-bearing  plants.  Varieties  best  adapted  for 


Forcing  Strawberries  under  Glass.  147 

forcing  are  those  of  a  low,  stocky  growth,  bearing  perfect  flowers  and  sweet 
or  high-flavored  berries.  I  should  say  the  Triomphe  de  Gand  was  the 
best,  and  I  observe  that  it  and  the  La  Constante,  which  it  closely  resem- 
bles, are  highly  recommended  abroad.  The  bush  Alpines  are  said  to  do 
finely,  and  I  should  think  the  Black  Defiance  would  answer  well.  Mr. 
Henderson  speaks  highly  of  the  Champion,  which,  however,  must  be 
grown  with  a  perfect- flowered  kind,  since  it  is  a  pistillate.  From  the 
parent  row,  guide  the  first  runners  so  that  they  will  take  root  in  the  pots. 
Let  each  runner  form  but  a  single,  strong  plant,  which  it  will  do  in  about 
two  weeks,  filling  the  pot  with  roots.  Then  these  plants,  with  their 
accompanying  balls  of  earth  interlaced  with  roots,  are  ready  to  be  shifted 
into  pots  of  from  six  to  eight  inches  in  diameter,  which  also  should  be  filled 
with  the  compost  already  described. 

These  larger  pots  should  have  three  or  four  pieces  of  broken  pottery 
in  the  bottom  for  drainage.  One  plant  to  each  pot  is  sufficient,  and  the 
soil  should  be  pressed  firmly  about  the  roots.  The  methods  of  growers 
now  differ  somewhat,  but  all  agree  in  seeking  to  promote  a  continuous  and 
healthy  growth.  It  may  be  necessary  to  place  the  pots  in  a  half-shady 
position  for  a  few  days,  till  the  effects  of  shifting  are  over,  and  the  roots 
have  taken  hold  of  the  new  soil.  Then  they  should  stand  in  an  open,  airy 
position,  close  together,  where  they  can  receive  daily  attention.  Some 
recommend  that  they  stand  on  boards,  flagging  or  bricks,  or  a  layer  of  coal 
ashes,  since  earth-worms  are  thus  kept  out ;  others  sink  them  in  cold 
frames,  where  they  can  be  protected  somewhat  from  excessive  heat  and 
drenching  storms ;  while  others,  still,  sink  the  pots  in  the  open  ground, 
where  it  is  convenient  to  care  for  and  water  them.  It  is  obvious  that 
moisture  must  be  steadily  and  continuously  maintained,  and  the  plants  be 
made  to  do  their  best  until  about  the  first  of  October.  After  this  they 
should  be  watered  very  sparingly, — barely  kept  moist, — since  it  is  now  our 
aim  to  ripen  the  foliage  and  roots  and  induce  a  season  of  rest.  At  the  same 
time,  they  should  not  be  permitted  to  dry  out.  About  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber, an  old  hot-bed  pit  can  be  filled  with  dry  leaves  and  the  pots  plunged 
in  them,  close  together,  up  to  their  rims,  and,  as  the  season  grows  colder, 
the  tops  can  be  covered,  so  as  to  prevent  the  earth  in  the  pots  from 
freezing.  The  top  of  the  pit  can  be  covered  with  boards  to  keep  out  the 
wet,  but  not  so  tightly  as  to  exclude  the  air.  Our  aim  is  to  keep  the 
plants  dormant,  and  yet  a  little  above  freezing,  and  barely  moist  enough 
to  prevent  the  slightest  shriveling.  Since  it  requires  from  ten  to  fourteen 
weeks  to  mature  the  fruit  under  glass,  it  would  be  well  to  subject  some  of 
the  plants  to  heat  early  in  October,  so  as  to  have  ripe  berries  at  the 


148  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

holidays.  They  can  thereafter  be  taken  from  the  storage  place  every  two 
or  three  weeks,  so  as  to  secure  a  succession.  By  this  course,  also,  if  a 
mishap  befalls  one  lot  of  plants,  there  still  remain  several  chances  for 
winter  fruit. 

In  the  forcing  process,  follow  nature.  The  plants  do  not  start  sud- 
denly in  spring,  but  gradually  awaken  into  life.  The  weather,  also,  is 
comparatively  cool  when  they  are  blossoming.  If  these  hints  are  not 
taken  in  the  green-house,  there  may  be  much  promise  but  little  fruit. 
If  the  heat  is  turned  on  too  rapidly,  when  the  plants  begin  to  bloom, 
the  calyx  and  corolla  will  probably  develop  properly,  but  the  stamens 
will  be  destitute  of  pollen,  while  the  pistils,  the  most  complicated 
part  of  the  flower,  and  that  which  requires  the  longest  time  for  perfect 
formation,  become  "  a  mere  tuft  of  abortions,  incapable  of  quickening, 
and  shriveling  into  pitch-black  threads  as  soon  as  fully  in  contact  with 
the  air."  Let  the  conditions  within-doors  accord  as  far  as  possible  with 
those  under  the  open  sky.  The  roots  require  coolness,  continuous  and 
evenly  maintained  moisture.  One  check  from  over-dryness  may  cause 
serious  and  lasting  injury.  The  foliage  needs  air  and  light,  in  abun- 
dance. Therefore,  the  pots  should  be  on  shelves  close  to  the  glass  ; 
otherwise  the  leaf  and  fruit-stalks  will  be  drawn  and  spindling.  If 
the  pot  can  be  shaded  while  the  plant  is  in  full  light,  all  the  better. 
When  first  introduced,  the  temperature  should  not  exceed  45°  or  50°. 
Air  must  be  freely  admitted  at  all  times,  though  much  less  will  suffice, 
of  course,  in  cold  than  in  warm  weather.  Watch  the  foliage,  and  if  it 
begins  to  grow  long  and  without  substance,  give  more  air  and  less  heat. 
An  average  of  55°  to  70°  by  day  may  be  allowed,  and  from  45°  to 
50°  by  night. 

When  the  flower  buds  begin  to  open,  the  forcing  must  be  conducted 
more  slowly  and  evenly,  so  as  to  give  the  delicate  organs  time  to 
perfect ;  but  after  the  fruit  is  set,  the  heat  can  be  increased  till  it  occa- 
sionally reaches  75°  at  midday.  After  the  fruit  begins  to  color,  give 
less  water — barely  sufficient  to  prevent  any  check  in  growth,  and 
the  fruit  will  be  sweeter  and  ripen  faster.  The  upper  blossoms  may  be 
pinched  off,  so  as  to  throw  the  whole  strength  of  the  plant  into  the 
lower  berries.  Keep  off  all  runners ;  syringe  the  plants  if  infested  with 
the  red  spider,  and  if  the  aphis  appears,  fumigate  him  with  tobacco. 

The  plants  that  have  fruited  need  not  be  thrown  away  as  useless. 
If  they  are  turned  out  of  the  pots  into  rich,  moist  soil,  in  April,  and  the 
runners  are  kept  off  all  summer,  they  will  make  large  bushy  stools, 
which  will  give  a  fine  crop  in  autumn. 


Forcing  Strawberries  under  Glass.  149 

The  amateur,  with  a  small  conservatory  or  south  window,  by 
approximating  as  far  as  possible  to  the  conditions  named,  can  achieve 
a  fair  success.  I  have  had  plants  do  moderately  well  by  merely  digging 
them  from  the  beds  late  in  the  fall,  with  considerable  rich  earth  clinging  to 
their  roots,  and  then  potting  with  more  rich  soil,  and  forcing  them  at 
once.  Of  course,  fine  results  cannot  be  expected  from  such  careless 
work,  but  some  strawberries  can  be  raised  with  very  little  trouble. 
If  one,  however,  wished  to  go  into  the  business  on  a  large  and 
scientific  scale,  I  would  recommend  a  strawberry-house,  designed  by  Mr. 
William  Ingram,  gardener  at  Belvoir  Castle.  A  figure  of  this  structure 
may  be  seen  on  page  74,  in  Mr.  Fuller's  valuable  work,  "  The  Small 
Fruit  Culturist."  On  the  same  principles  that  we  have  been  describing, 
the  ripening  of  strawberries  can  be  hastened  by  the  use  of  hot  beds, 
cold  frames  and  ordinary  sash. 

During  the  Christmas  holidays,  strawberries  sell  readily  at  from  $4  to 
$8  per  quart,  and  handsome  fruit  brings  high  prices  till  March ;  but  the 
profit  of  raising  them  under  glass  threatens  to  diminish  in  future  years, 
since  Florida  berries  begin  to  arrive  freely  even  in  February.  There  are 
those  who  now  seem  to  be  doing  well  in  the  business  of  forcing,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  jealousy  with  which  they  guard  the  open  secrets 
of  their  calling  from  their  neighbors. 

A  rough  and  ready  method  of  forcing  is  to  dig  up  clumps  of  plants 
during  a  mild  spell  in  winter  or  early  spring,  put  them  in  boxes  or  pots 
of  rich  earth,  and  take  them  into  the  green-house.  Considerable  fruit 
is  sometimes  ripened  in  this  way. 

An  English  writer  says :  "  We  find  forced  strawberries  mentioned 
as  being  served  at  an  installation  dinner,  April  23d,  1667;  but  the 
idea  had  already  occurred  to  the  great  Lord  Bacon,  who  writes,  'As 
we  have  housed  the  exotics  of  hot  countries,  so  we  may  house  our  natives 
to  forward  them,  and  thus  have  violets,  strawberries  and  pease  all 
winter.'  " 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


ORIGINATING  NEW   VARIETIES  —  HYBRIDIZATION. 


THIS  chapter  introduces  us  to  great  diversities  of  opinion,  and  to  still 
greater  differences  in  experience,  and  I  fear  that  I  shall  leave  the 
subject  as  indefinite  as  I  find  it.  The  scientist  best  versed  in  botany 
and  the  laws  of  heredity  can  here  find  a  field  that  would  tax  his  best  skill 
for  a  life-time,  and  yet  a  child  may  amuse  himself  with  raising  new  kinds ; 
and  it  would  not  be  impossible  that,  through  some  lucky  combination  of 
nature,  the  latter  might  produce  a  variety  that  would  surpass  the  results 
of  the  learned  man's  labor.  As  in  most  other  activities  of  life,  however, 
the  probabilities  are  on  the  side  of  skill  and  continuous  effort. 

We  have  already  shown  that  all  the  seeds  of  the  F.  Virginiana  and 
F.  Chilensis  may  produce  a  new  variety.  These  seedlings  often  closely 
resemble  the  parent  or  parents,  and  sometimes  are  practically  identical 
with  one  of  them ;  more  often  they  present  distinct  differences.  It 
is  wholly  impossible  to  predict  the  character  of  seedlings,  as  they 
usually  are  produced.  If  we  could  obtain  pure  specimens  of  the  two 
great  species,  and  cross  them,  the  element  of  chance  would  not  enter 
into  the  result  so  largely  as  must  be  the  case  when  seed  is  gathered  in 
our  gardens.  The  pedigrees  of  but  few  varieties  are  known,  and  in 
many  instances  the  two  great  races  are  so  mingled  that  we  can  only 
guess  which  element  predominates,  by  the  behavior  and  appearance 
of  the  plants.  The  kinds  with  which  we  start  are  hybrids,  and,  as 
Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller  sagaciously  remarks,  "  Hybridizing,  or  crossing 


150 


Originating  New  Varieties — Hybridization.  151 

hybrids,  is  only  mixing  together  two  compounds,  the  exact  propor- 
tions of  neither  being  known."  Therefore,  the  inevitable  element  of 
chance.  Disagreeable  traits  and  shiftless  ways  of  strawberry  grand- 
parents and  great-grandparents  may  develop  themselves  in  a  seedling 
produced  by  the  union  of  two  first  class  varieties.  At  the  same  time,  it  is 
possible  that  fine  ancestral  qualities  may  also  assert  themselves.  The 
chance  seedling  which  comes  up  in  a  garden  where  good  varieties  have 
been  raised  may  prove  a  prize.  The  Forest  Rose  was  found  growing  in 
a  vineyard.  If  we  propose  to  raise  seedlings,  however,  we  will,  of  course, 
select  seeds  from  the  best  fruit  of  fine  varieties,  even  in  our  first  and  most 
rudimental  efforts.  Before  making  any  serious  or  prolonged  attempt  to 
originate  new  varieties,  it  would  be  well  to  familiarize  ourselves  with  certain 
principles,  and  gather  experience  from  the  successes  and  failures  of  others. 
We  have  seen  that  the  F.  Virginiana  is  the  native  species  of  the  eastern 
section  of  our  continent,  and  that  its  vigor  and  hardiness  best  adapt  it  to 
our  extremes  of  climate.  It  were  best  to  start,  therefore,  with  the  most 
vigorous  strains  and  varieties  of  this  hardy  species.  It  is  true  that  fine 
results  can  be  obtained  from  crossing  varieties  of  the  F.  Chilensis  with  our 
native  species, — the  President  Wilder  proves  this, — but  few  of  such 
products  are  adapted  to  the  country  at  large,  and  they  will  be  almost 
sure  to  falter  on  light  soils.  We  will  achieve  our  best  success  in 
developing  our  native  species.  By  observation,  careful  reading  of  the 
horticultural  journals,  and  by  correspondence,  the  propagator  can  learn 
what  varieties  show  vigor  and  productiveness,  throughout  a  wide  range 
of  country,  and  in  great  diversities  of  soil  and  climate.  These  sturdy 
kinds,  that  seem  bent  on  doing  well  everywhere,  should  be  the  robust 
forefathers  of  the  strawberries  of  the  future.  Starting  with  these,  we  are 
already  well  on  the  way  toward  the  excellence  we  hope  to  attain.  The 
pith  of  our  difficulty  now  is  to  make  any  further  advance.  How  can 
we  surpass  that  superb  group  of  berries  that  prove  their  excellence  year 
after  year  ? 

As  Mr.  Durand  well  puts  it,  new  varieties,  to  be  of  value,  should 
produce  berries  that  "  measure  from  four  to  eight  inches  in  circumference, 
of  good  form,  color  and  flavor  ;  very  large  specimens  are  not  expected  to 
be  perfect  in  form,  yet  those  of  medium  size  should  always  be.  The 
calyx  should  never  be  imbedded  in  the  flesh,  which  should  be  sufficiently 
firm  to  carry  well,  and  withstand  all  changes  of  our  variable  climate.  The 
texture  should  be  fine,  flesh  rich,  with  a  moderate  amount  of  acid, — no 
more  than  just  sufficient  to  make  it  palatable  with  sugar  as  a  table  berry. 
The  plant  should  be  hardy,  vigorous,  large  and  strong;  of  great  endurance 


152  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

as  to  climatic  change,  and  able  to  stand  any  amount  of  manure  of  the 
right  kind.  It  should  be  a  prolific  bearer,  with  stalks  of  sufficient  length 
to  keep  the  fruit  out  of  the  dirt,  and  bear  its  berries  of  nearly  uniform  size 
to  the  end.  Any  serious  departure  from  such  necessary  qualities  would 
be  fatal  to  any  new  variety." 

What  is  the  use  of  spending  time  on  varieties  that  do  not  possess 
these  good  qualities,  or  many  of  them,  so  preeminently  that  they  supersede 
those  already  in  our  gardens  ?  Shall  I  root  out  the  Charles  Downing,  Seth 
Boyden,  and  Monarch,  and  replace  them  with  inferior  kinds  because  they 
are  new  ?  That  is  what  we  have  been  doing  too  extensively.  But  if,  in 
very  truth,  varieties  can  be  originated  that  do  surpass  the  best  we  now 
have,  then  both  common  sense  and  self-interest  should  lead  to  their 
general  cultivation.  I  believe  that  honest  and  intelligent  effort  can  secure 
a  continued  advance  in  excellence  which  will  probably  be  slow,  but  may 
be  sure. 

The  public,  however,  will  suffer  many  disappointments,  and  every 
year  will  buy  thousands  of  some  extravagantly  praised  and.  high-priced 
new  variety,  in  hope  of  obtaining  the  ideal  strawberry ;  and  they  so  often 
get  a  good  thing  among  the  blanks  that  they  seem  disposed  to  continue 
indefinitely  this  mild  form  of  speculation.  In  the  final  result,  merit  asserts 
itself,  and  there  is  a  survival  of  the  fittest.  The  process  of  winnowing  the 
wheat  from  the  chaff  is  a  costly  one  to  many,  however.  I  have  paid 
hundreds  of  dollars  for  varieties  that  I  now  regard  as  little  better  than 
weeds.  From  thorough  knowledge  of  the  best  kinds  already  in  cultiva- 
tion, the  propagator  should  not  impose  any  second-rate  kind  on  the  public. 
And  yet  the  public,  or  the  law  which  the  public  sustains,  renders  this 
duty  difficult.  If  a  man  invents  a  peculiar  nutmeg-grater,  his  patent  pro- 
tects him  ;  but  if  he  discovers,  or  originates,  a  fruit  that  enriches  the 
world,  any  one  who  can  get  it,  by  fair  means  or  foul,  may  propagate  and 
sell  to  all.  To  reap  any  advantages,  the  originator  must  put  his  seedling, 
which  may  have  cost  him  years  of  effort,  into  the  market  before  it  is  fully 
and  widely  tested.  If  he  sends  it  for  trial  to  other  localities,  there  is 
much  danger  of  its  falling  into  improper  hands.  The  variety  may  do 
splendidly  in  its  native  garden,  and  yet  not  be  adapted  to  general  cultiva- 
tion. This  fact,  which  might  have  been  learned  by  trial  throughout  the 
country  before  being  sent  out,  if  there  was  protective  law,  is  learned  after- 
ward, to  the  cost  of  the  majority  who  buy.  In  view  of  the  above  con- 
siderations, it  is  doubtful  whether  the  pecuniary  reward  will  often  repay  for 
the  time,  trouble,  and  expense  which  is  usually  required  to  produce  a 
variety  worthy  of  general  introduction.  Other  motives  than  money  must 


Originating  New  Varieties — Hybridization.  153; 

actuate.  As  Mr.  Durand  once  said,  when  so  perplexed  by  the  difficulties 
and  complications  of  his  labor,  and  so  disheartened  by  the  results  that  he 
was  inclined  to  throw  down  the  burden,  "There  is  a  fascination  that 
binds  me  still."  In  other  words,  he  was  engaged  in  one  of  the  divinest 
forms  of  alchemy. 

Having  procured  the  vigorous  stock  from  which  we  hope  to  obtain 
still  stronger  and  more  productive  varieties,  we  may  go  to  work  several 
ways.  We  may  plant  our  choice  varieties  in  close  proximity,  and  let  the 
bees  and  summer  gales  do  the  hybridizing.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  organs  of  procreation  in  the  perfect  strawberry  blossom  are  the  pistils 
on  the  convex  receptacle  and  the  encircling  stamens.  The  anthers  of  the 
latter  produce  a  golden  powder,  so  light  that  it  will  float  on,  a  summer 
breeze,  and  so  fine  that  insects  dust  themselves  with  it  and  carry  it  long 
distances.  When  this  dust,  which  is  called  pollen,  comes  in  contact  with 
the  stigma  of  a  pistil,  it  imparts  the  power  of  development  both  to  the 
seed  and  that  which  sustains  it  —  the  receptacle  which  is  eventually  trans- 
formed into  the  juicy  pulp.  If  the  pistils  are  not  fertilized,  there  will  be 
no  strawberries,  as  well  as  no  seeds.  Perfect-flowering  varieties,  there- 
fore, are  self-fertilizing.  There  are  stamens  and  pistils  in  the  same  flower, 
and  the  pollen  from  the  former  impregnates  the  latter.  In  view  of  this- 
fact,  the  probabilities  are  all  against  success  in  obtaining  an  improved 
variety.  While  the  pollen  may  pass  from  one  perfect-flowering  kind  to 
another,  and  produce  a  seed  which  will  give  a  new  combination,  the 
chances  of  self-fertilization,  and  that,  in  consequence,  the  seeds  will  pro- 
duce degenerate  and  somewhat  varying  counterparts  of  the  parent,  are  so 
great  that  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  plant  them.  There  is  little  to  be  hoped, 
therefore,  from  the  seed  of  perfect-flowering  kinds  left  to  nature's 
influences. 

In  this  country,  we  have  pistillate  varieties,  or  those  that  are  wholly 
destitute  of  stamens.  Mr.  Fuller  says  that,  for  some  reason,  they  do  not 
originate  abroad.  It  is  obvious  that,  with  these  pistillates,  we  can  attain  a 
direct  cross  with  some  staminate  or  perfect-flowering, variety,  but  if  our 
pistillates  grow  openly  in  the  garden,  near  several  staminates,  the  seeds 
sown  may  have  been  fertilized  by  the  poorest  of  them,  or  by  pollen  from 
wild  strawberries,  brought  by  the  wind  or  insects.  It  is  all  hap-hazard 
work,  and  we  can  only  guess  at  the  parentage  of  the  seedlings.  There  is 
no  skillful  combination  of  good  qualities,  such  as  the  stock  farmer  makes 
when  he  mingles  good  blood.  Gathering  the  seed,  therefore,  in  our 
gardens,  even  under  the  most  favorable  auspices,  is  the  veriest  game  of 
hazard,  with  nearly  all  the  chances  against  us  ;  and  yet  superb  varieties. 
20 


154  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

are  occasionally  procured  in  this  way.  Indeed,  as  we  have  seen,  they 
sometimes  come  up  themselves,  and  assert  their  merit  wholly  unaided. 
By  such  methods,  however,  the  propagator  has  not  one  chance  in 
thousands,  as  much  experience  shows. 

We  are,  therefore,  led  to  isolate  our  plants,  and  to  seek  intelligently 
and  definitely  to  unite  the  good  qualities  of  two  distinct  varieties.  If 
they  have  no  pistillate  plants  abroad,  they  must  remove  all  the  stamens 
from  some  perfect  flower  before  they  are  sufficiently  developed  to  shed 
their  pollen,  and  then  fertilize  the  pistils  with  the  stamens  of  the  other 
variety  whose  qualities  they  wish  to  enter  into  the  combination.  There 
is  no  need  of  our  doing  this,  for  it  involves  much  trouble  and  care  at  best, 
and  then  we  are  always  haunted  by  the  fear  that  the  stamens  were  not 
removed  in  time,  or  so  completely  as  to  prevent  self-fertilization.  With 
such  pistillate  varieties  as  the  Golden  Defiance,  Champion,  Springdale, 
and  Crescent,  we  have  as  robust  motherhood  as  we  require. 

In  order  to  present  to  the  reader  the  most  approved  systems  of 
hybridization,  I  will  give  the  methods  of  two  gentlemen  who  are  among 
the  best  known  in  relation  to  this  subject. 

The  late  Mr.  Seth  Boyden  won  world-wide  celebrity  by  his  success, 
and  the  berry  named  after  him  will  perpetuate  his  memory  for  many 
years  to  come.  When  grown  under  the  proper  conditions,  it  presents  a 
type  of  excellence  still  unsurpassed. 

Mr.  Boyden's  neighbor,  Mr.  Ogden  Brown,  of  Hilton,  N.  J.,  writes  to 
me  as  follows : 

"  My  method  of  raising  seedlings  is  the  one  practiced  by  Mr.  Boyden.  In 
August  I  set  the  plants  from  which  I  wish  to  secure  new  combinations  in  a  plot  of 
ground  the  size  of  my  glass  frame,  and  in  early  spring  set  the  frame  over  them,  so 
that  the  plants  may  blossom  before  any  others.  Thus,  no  mixture  from  the  pollen 
of  outside  plants  can  take  place,  for  none  are  in  bloom  save  those  in  the  frame. 
The  plants  within  the  frame  are  two  or  three  pistillate  plants,  all  of  one  good 
variety,  like  the  Champion ;  and  three  or  four  superior,  perfect-flowering  kinds,  any 
•one  of  which,  I  think,  will  make  a  good  combination  with  the  pistillate  variety. 
The  seeds  from  the  pistillate  only  are  used,  and  when  the  fruit  is  ripened,  these  seeds 
are  slightly  dried  and  placed  between  two  pieces  of  ice  for  about  two  weeks.  I 
then  put  them  in  pure  sand,  wrapped  up  in  a  wet  rag,  and  keep  them  sufficiently 
near  the  fire  to  preserve  constant  warmth  until  the  germs  are  ready  to  burst  forth. 
I  then  sow  the  seeds  in  a  bed  of  finely  riddled  rich  earth,  and  cover  with  boards 
about  six  inches  from  the  soil.  This  is  to  prevent  the  sun  from  drying  the  ground. 
Plants  thus  raised  will  be  sufficiently  large  to  set  in  the  fruiting-bed  in  September. 
In  the  fifteen  years  that  I  was  acquainted  with  Mr.  Boyden,  I  never  knew  him  to 
fail  in  raising  fruit  from  these  plants  the  following  summer.  I  do  not  know  that 
Mr.  Boyden's  method  has  been  improved  upon." 


Originating  New  Varieties  —  Hybridization.  155 

Mr.  J.  M.  Merrick,  Jr.,  recommends  this  same  isolation  of  the  pistil- 
late plant  under  glass. 

It  should  be  distinctly  understood  that  while  several  perfect-flowering 
plants  may  be  placed  under  the  sash  with  a  pistillate,  the  pollen  of  only 
one  of  these  can  fertilize  a  pistil.  Mixing  pollen  from  different  kinds 
will  never  produce  in  a  seedling  the  qualities  of  three  or  more  varieties. 
The  seedling  is  the  product  of  two  kinds  only.  Inclosing  the  plants 
in  a  frame  insures  that  all  the  pistils  are  fertilized  by  one~or  the  other 
of  the  perfect-flowered  varieties  that  are  so  fine  as  to  promise  a  better 
combination  of  excellence  than  yet  exists.  The  appearance  of  the 
seedling  will  probably  show  which  of  the  kinds  formed  the  combination, 
but  often  there  would  be  uncertainty  on  this  point,  I  think. 

Mr.  E.  W.  Durand,  who  sent  out  the  Black  Defiance,  Great 
American,  Beauty,  Pioneer,  and  several  others,  claims  that  the  "  true 
method  is  to  propagate  by  pairs,  each  parent  possessing  certain  dis- 
tinctive features."  "My  course,"  he  writes,  in  a  paper  read  before  the 
N.  J.  State  Horticultural  Society,  "is  to  select  my  pistillates  after  years 
of  trial,  subject  them  to  severe  tests,  and  place  alongside  of  each  such 
a  staminate  as  I  think  will  harmonize  and  produce  a  certain  desired  effect. 
Another  pistillate  plant,  of  the  same  variety,  is  placed  far  away  from  the 
last,  with  a  different  staminate,  and  so  on,  till  I  exhaust  the  staminates  or 
perfect-flowering  kinds  that  I  wish  to  test  with  that  pistillate  variety.  Of 
late  years,  I  have  used  but  two  or  three  kinds  of  pistillate  plants,  and 
they  are  a  combination  of  excellence.  I  never  show  them  to  my  most 
intimate  friends,  and  the  public  know  nothing  about  them.  The  years  of 
trial  and  experiment  necessary  to  produce  such  plants  must  necessarily 
discourage  a  beginner;  yet  it  is  the  only  course  that  will  lead  to  success." 

I  think  that  Mr.  Durand  takes  too  gloomy  a  view  of  the  subject,  and 
I  can  see  no  reason  why  any  one  starting  with  such  pistillates  as  the 
Golden  Defiance,  Champion  and  others,  may  not  originate  a  variety 
superior  to  any  now  in  existence.  At  the  same  time,  I  must  caution 
against  over-sanguine  hopes.  Mr.  Durand  states  the  interesting  fact  that 
he  generally  produces  3,000  new  varieties  annually,  and  including  the 
year  of  '76,  he  had  already  originated  about  50,000  seedlings.  While 
some  of  these  have  already  secured  great  celebrity,  like  the  Great 
American,  I  do  not  know  of  one  that  promises  to  maintain  a  continued 
and  national  popularity.  I  regard  his  old  Black  Defiance  and  the  later 
Pioneer  as  his  best  seedlings,  so  far  as  I  have  seen  them.  Very  many 
others  do  not  have  even  his  success.  We  may  have  to  experiment  for 
years  before  we  obtain  a  seedling  worth  preserving;  nevertheless,  in  the 


156  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

heart  of  each  propagator  lurks  the  hope  that  he  may  draw  the  prize  of 
prizes. 

I  will  close  this  chapter  with  a  few  simple  and  practical  suggestions. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  place  the  seeds  in  ice.  They  may  be  sown  in  July, 
in  rich  soil,  rendered  fine  and  mellow,  and  in  a  half-shady  position  ;  and 
the  surface  should  be  kept  moist  by  watering,  and  a  sprinkling  of  a  little 
very  fine  compost,  that  will  prevent  the  ground  from  baking.  Some  of 
the  seeds  will  germinate  that  season,  more  will  come  up  the  following  spring. 
Or,  they  may  be  started  in  a  cold  frame  under  glass,  and  hastened  in 
their  growth  so  that  good-sized  plants  are  ready  for  the  fruiting-bed  by 
September.  Mr.  Durand  plants  his  seed  in  the  spring,  and  the  seedlings 
bear  the  following  year.  The  plants  should  be  set  eighteen  inches  apart 
each  way,  in  the  fruiting-bed.  When  they  blossom,  note  and  mark  all 
the  pistillates  as  such.  Those  that  grow  feebly,  and  whose  foliage  scalds 
or  burns  in  the  sun,  root  out  at  once.  The  Spartan  law  of  death  to  the 
feeble  and  deformed  should  be  rigorously  enforced  in  the  fruit  garden. 
The  first  year  of  fruiting  will  satisfy  you  that  the  majority  of  seedlings  are 
to  be  thrown  away.  Those  that  give  special  promise  should  be  lifted  with 
a  large  ball  of  earth,  and  planted  where  they  may  be  kept  pure  from 
mixture,  and  given  further  trial.  Remember  that  a  seedling  may  do 
better  the  first  year  than  ever  after,  and  that  only  a  continued  and  varied 
trial  can  prove  its  worth.  All  runners  should  be  kept  off,  unless  the 
ground  is  infested  with  grubs,  and  there  is  danger  of  losing  a  promising 
variety  of  which  we  have  but  one  specimen.  If  so  fortunate  as  to  raise 
superior  seedlings,  test  them  side  by  side,  and  under  the  same  conditions 
with  the  best  kinds  in  existence,  before  calling  to  them  public  attention. 
Try  them,  also,  in  light  and  heavy  soils;  and,  if  possible,  send  them  to 
trusted  friends  who  will  subject  them  to  varied  climates  in  widely  separated 
localities.  If,  however,  you  find  them  vigorous  and  productive  on  the 
light,  poor  soils  of  your  own  place,  you  may  hope  much  for  them  else- 
where. No  berry  will  be  generally  popular  that  requires  much  petting. 
I  only  state  this  as  a  fact.  In  my  opinion,  some  varieties  are  so  superb 
in  size  and  flavor  that  they  deserve  high  culture,  and  well  repay  it. 

It  is  a  question  whether,  except  for  the  purposes  of  propagation, 
pistillate  varieties  should  be  preserved  and  sent  out.  Mr.  Fuller,  and 
others,  take  ground  against  them,  and  their  views  are  entitled  to  great 
respect,  but  with  such  kinds  as  the  Golden  Defiance  and  Champion  in  my 
garden,  I  am  not  prepared  to  condemn  them.  One  objection  urged 
against  them  is  that  many  purchase  a  single  variety,  and,  should  it  prove  a 
pistillate,  they  would  have  no  fruit.  They  would  not  deserve  any,  if  they 


Originating  New  Varieties — Hybridization.  157 

gave  the  subject  so  little  attention.  Every  fruit  catalogue  states  which  are 
pistillates,  and  their  need  of  a  perfect- flowering  kind  near  them.  Again, 
it  is  urged  that  this  necessary  proximity  of  two  kinds  leads  to  mixtures. 
It  need  not,  and,  with  the  plant  grower,  can  only  result  from  gross  careless- 
ness. The  different  beds  may  be  yards  apart.  In  order  to  secure 
thorough  fertilization,  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  to  plant  so  near  that  the 
two  kinds  can  run  together.  In  a  large  field  of  pistillates,  every  tenth  row 
should  be  of  a  staminate,  blossoming  at  the  same  time  with  the  pistillate. 
The  Kentucky  seedling  is  a  first-class  staminate,  but  it  should  not  be  used 
to  fertilize  the  Crescent,  since  the  latter  would  almost  be  out  of  bloom 
before  the  former  began  to  blossom.  Plant  early  pistillates  with  early 
staminates,  and  late  with  late. 

Many  ask  me,  "  Do  strawberries  mix  by  being  planted  near  each 
other  ?  "  They  mix  only  by  running  together,  so  that  you  can  scarcely 
distinguish  the  two  kinds ;  but  a  Wilson  plant  will  produce  Wilson  runners 
to  the  end  of  time,  and  were  one  plant  surrounded  by  a  million  other 
varieties,  it  would  still  maintain  the  Wilson  characteristics.  It  is  through 
the  seeds,  and  seeds  only,  that  one  variety  has  any  appreciable  effect  upon 
another.  Many  have  confused  ideas  on  this  point. 

A  man  brought  to  the  Centennial  Exhibition,  at  Philadelphia,  a  pot  of 
strawberries  that  attracted  great  attention,  for  the  fruit  was  magnificent. 
I  suggested  to  him  that  it  resembled  the  Jucunda,  and  he  said  that  it  was 
a  cross  between  that  berry  and  the  Seth  Boyden.  This  was  a  combination 
that  promised  so  well  that  I  went  twenty  miles,  on  a  very  hot  day,  to  see 
his  bed,  and  found  that  the  crossing  was  simply  the  interlacing  of  the 
runners  of  the  two  distinct  varieties,  and  that  I  could  tell  the  intermingled 
Jucunda  and  Boyden  plants  apart  at  a  glance.  Such  crossing  would  make 
no  marked  change  in  varieties  if  continued  for  centuries. 

The  enemies  and  diseases  of  the  strawberry  will  be  grouped  in  a 
general  chapter  on  these  subjects. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


RASPBERRIES  —  SPECIES,    HISTORY,   PROPAGATION,  ETC. 


I  HAVE  given  the  greater  part  of  this  volume  to  the  subject  of  straw- 
berries, not  only  because  it  is  the  most  popular  fruit,  but  also  for  the 
reason  that  the  principles  of  thorough  preparation  of  the  soil,  drainage, 
culture,  &c.,  apply  equally  to  the  other  small  fruits.  Those  who  have 
followed  me  carefully  thus  far,  can  soon  master  the  conditions  of  success 
which  apply  to  the  fruits  still  to  be  treated.  I  shall  now  consider  a  fruit 
which  is  only  second  in  value,  and,  by  many,  even  preferred  to  all  the 
others. 

Like  the  strawberry,  the  raspberry  is  well  connected,  since  it,  also, 
belongs  to  the  Rose  family.  It  has  a  perennial  root,  producing  biennial 
woody  stems  that  reach  a  height  of  from  three  to  six  feet.  Varieties, 
however,  differ  greatly  in  this  respect.  Usually,  the  stems  or  canes  do  not 
bear  until  the  second  year,  and  that  season  ends  their  life,  their  place  being 
taken  by  a  new  growth  from  the  root.  The  flowers  are  white  or  red,  very 
unobtrusive,  and  rich  in  sweetness.  The  discriminating  bees  forsake  most 
other  flowers  while  the  raspberry  blossoms  last.  The  pistils  on  the  convex 
receptacle  mature  into  a  collection  of  small  drupes,  or  stone  fruits,  of  the 
same  character  as  the  cherry,  plum,  etc.,  and  the  seeds  within  the.  drupes 
are  miniature  pits.  These  drupes  adhere  together,  forming  round  or  conical 
caps,  which  will  drop  from  the  receptacle  when  over- ripe.  I  have  seen 
the  ground  covered  with  the  fruit  of  certain  varieties,  when  picking  has 
been  delayed. 

158 


Raspberries  —  Species,  History -,  Propagation,  Etc.  159 

All  peoples  seem  to  have  had  a  feeling  sense  of  the  spines,  or  thorns, 
of  this  plant,  as  may  be  gathered  from  its  name  in  different  languages ;  the 
Italian  term  is  Raspo,  the  Scotch  Raspis,  and  the  German  Kratsberre,  or 
Scratchberry. 

The  Greeks  traced  the  raspberry  to  Mount  Ida,  and  the  original  bush 
may  have  grown  in  the  shadowy  glade  where  the  "  Shepherd  Alexandre," 
alias  Paris,  son  of  Priam,  King  of  Troy,  gave  his  fateful  decision  in  favor 
of  Venus.  Juno  and  Minerva  undoubtedly  beguiled  the  time,  while  the 
favored  goddess  presented  her  claims,  by  eating  the  fruit,  and,  perhaps, 
enhanced  their  competitive  beauty  by  touching  their  cheeks  with  an 
occasional  berry.  At  any  rate,  the  raspberry  of  the  ancients  is  Rubus 
Idceus. 

The  elder  Pliny,  who  wrote  not  far  from  45  A.  D.,  states  that  the  Greeks 
distinguished  the  raspberry  bramble  by  the  term  "  Idcza"  and,  like  so  many 
other  Grecian  ideas,  it  has  found  increasing  favor  ever  since.  Mr.  A.  S. 
Fuller,  one  of  the  best- read  authorities  on  these  subjects,  writes  that 
"  Paladius,  a  Roman  agricultural  author,  who  flourished  in  the  fourth 
century,  mentions  the  raspberry  as  one  of  the  cultivated  fruits  of  his  time.'* 
It  thus  appears  that  it  was  promoted  to  the  garden  long  before  the  straw- 
berry was  so  honored. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  raspberry  in  various  forms  is  found  wild 
throughout  the  continent,  and  that  the  ancient  gardeners  in  most  instances 
obtained  their  supply  of  plants  in  the  adjacent  fields  or  forests,  the  late 
Mr.  A.  J.  Downing  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  large-fruited  foreign  varieties 
are  descendants  of  the  "  Mount  Ida  Bramble,"  and  from  that  locality  were 
introduced  into  the  gardens  of  Southern  Europe. 

In  America,  two  well-known  and  distinct  species  are  enriching  our 
gardens  and  gracing  our  tables  with  their  healthful  fruit.  We  will  first 
name  R.  Strigosus,  or  the  wild  red  raspberry,  almost  as  dear  to  our  memory 
as  the  wild  strawberry.  It  grows  best  along  the  edge  of  woodlands  and  in 
half-shadowy  places  that  seem  equally  adapted  to  lovers'  rambles.  In  just 
such  a  nook  as  we  perhaps  recall,  the  artist  has  portrayed  a  youth  who,  with 
a  cluster  of  the  ruby  fruit,  is  heightening  the  effect  of  love's  shy  signals. 
The  crimson,  melting  berry  is  the  type  of  their  present  experience.  The 
fates  forbid  that  the  Scotch  term,  Raspis,  should  suggest  what  is  to  come  \ 

Nature,  too,  in  a  kindly  mood,  seems  to  have  scattered  the  seeds  of  this 
fruit  along  the  road-side,  thus  fringing  the  highway  in  dusty,  hot  July  with 
ambrosial  food. 

Professor  Gray  thus  describes  the  native  red  species :  "  R.  Strigosus, 
Wild  Red  R.  Common,  especially  North  ;  from  two  to  three  feet  high ; 


i6o 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


the  upright  stems,  stalks,  etc.,  beset  with  copious  bristles,  and  some  of 
them  becoming  weak  prickles,  also  glandular ;  leaflets  oblong-ovate, 
pointed,  cut-serrate,  white-downy  beneath,  the  lateral  ones  (either  one  or 


Nature's  Rouge. 

two  pairs)  not  stalked  ;  petals  as  long  as  the  sepals  ;  fruit  light-red,  tender 
and  watery,  but  high  flavored,  ripening  all  summer." 

The  second  great  American  species,  R.  Occidentalis,  will  be  described 
hereafter.  Since  this  book  is  not  designed  to  teach  botany,  I  shall  not 
refer  to  the  other  species, —  R.  Trifloms,  R.  Odoratns,  R.  Nutkanno,  etc., — 
which  are  of  no  practical  value,  and,  for  the  present,  will  confine  myself 
to  the  propagation  and  cultivation  of  R.  Id&us  and  R.  Strigosus,  and  their 
seedlings. 


PROPAGATION. 


Usually,  varieties  of  these  two  species  throw  up  suckers  from  the 
roots  in  sufficient  abundance  for  all  practical  purposes,  and  these 
young  canes  from  between  the  hills  or  rows  are,  in  most  instances,  the 


Propagation.  161 

plants  of  commerce,  and  the  means  of  extending  our  plantations.  But 
where  a  variety  is  scarce,  or  the  purpose  is  to  increase  it  rapidly,  we  can 
dig  out  the  many  interlacing  roots  that  fill  the  soil  between  the  hills,  cut 
them  into  two-inch  pieces,  and  each  may  be  developed  within  a  year  into 
a  good  plant.  Fall  is  the  best  season  for  making  root  cuttings,  and  it  can 
be  continued  as  late  as  the  frost  permits.  My  method  is  to  store  the  roots 
in  a  cellar,  and  cut  them  from  time  to  time,  after  out-of-door  work  is  over. 
I  have  holes  bored  in  the  bottom  of  a  box  to  insure  drainage,  spread  over 
it  two  inches  of  moist  (not  wet)  earth,  then  an  inch  layer  of  the  root  cut- 
tings, a  thin  layer  of  earth  again,  then  cuttings  until  the  box  is  full.  If  the 
cellar  is  cool  and  free  from  frost,  the  cuttings  may  be  kept  there  until 
spring ;  or  the  boxes  containing  them  can  be  buried  so  deeply  on  a  dry 
knoll  in  a  garden  as  to  be  below  frost.  Leaves  piled  above  them  insure 
safety.  Make  sure  that  the  boxes  are  buried  where  no  water  can  collect 
either  on  or  beneath  the  surface.  Before  new  roots  can  be  made  by  a  cut- 
ting, a  whitish  excrescence  appears  at  both  its  ends,  called  the  callus,  and 
from  this  the  rootlets  start  out.  This  essential  process  goes  on  throughout 
the  winter,  and  therefore  the  'advantage  of  making  cuttings  in  the  fall. 
Occasionally,  in  the  fall,  we  may  obtain  a  variety  that  we  are  anxious 
to  increase,  in  which  case  some  of  the  roots  may  be  taken  off  for  cuttings 
before  setting  out  the  plants. 

These  little  root-slips  may  be  sown,  as  one  would  sow  peas,  early  in 
the  spring,  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to  work.  A  plot  of  rich, 
moist  land  should  be  chosen,  and  the  soil  made  mellow  and  fine,  as  if  for 
seed ;  drills  should  then  be  opened  eighteen  inches  apart,  two  inches  deep 
on  heavy  land,  and  three  inches  deep  on  light.  The  cuttings  must  now  be 
dropped  three  inches  from  each  other  in  the  little  furrows,  the  ground 
leveled  over  them  and  firmed,  which  is  best  done  by  walking  on  a  board 
laid  on  the  covered  drill,  or  else  by  the  use  of  a  garden  roller.  If  the 
entire  cutting-bed  were  well  sprinkled  with  fine  compost,  and  then  covered 
so  lightly  —  from  one-quarter  to  half  an  inch  —  with  a  mulch  of  straw  that 
the  shoots  could  come  through  it  without  hindrance,  scarcely  a  cutting 
would  fail.  Unfailing  moisture,  without  wetness,  is  what  a  cutting 
requires. 

Roots  may  be  divided  into  half-inch  bits,  if  forced  under  glass,  and  in 
this  way  nurserymen  often  speedily  provide  themselves  with  large  stocks 
of  very  scarce  varieties.  The  cuttings  are  placed  in  boxes  of  sand  until 
the  callus  forms,  and  little  buds  appear  on  the  surface  of  the  roots,  for 
which  processes  about  five  weeks  are  required.  They  are  then  sown  in 
shallow  boxes  containing  about  three  inches  of  soil,  formed  of  equal  parts 
21 


1 62  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

of  sand  and  decayed  leaves,  and  subjected  to  the  heat  of  the  green-house. 
When  they  have  formed  plants  from  three  to  five  inches  high,  they  may  be 
potted,  if  very  valuable  ;  or,  if  the  weather  is  warm  enough,  they  can  be 
transplanted  at  once  into  the  open  nursery-bed,  as  one  would  a  strawberry 
plant  I  have  set  out  many  thousands  in  this  way,  only  aiming  to  keep  a 
little  earth  clinging  to  the  roots  as  I  took  them  from  the  shallow  box. 
Plants  grown  from  cuttings  are  usually  regarded  as  the  best ;  but  if  a  sucker 
plant  is  taken  up  with  fibrous  roots,  I  should  regard  it  as  equally  good. 

If  we  wish  to  try  our  fortune  in  originating  new  varieties,  we 
gather  the  largest  and  earliest  berries,  dry  them  and  plant  the  seeds  the 
following  spring ;  or  we  may  separate  the  seeds  from  the  pulp  by  express- 
ing it  and  mixing  them  with  dry  sand,  until  they  are  in  a  condition  to 
be  sown  evenly  in  a  sheltered  place  at  once.  As  with  strawberries, 
they  should  be  raked  lightly  into  moist,  rich  soil,  the  surface  of  which 
should  not  be  allowed  to  become  dry  and  hard.  The  .probabilities  are 
that  they  will  germinate  early  in  the  spring  and  produce  canes  strong 
enough  to  bear  the  second  year.  If  the  seed  is  from  a  kind  that  cannot 
endure  frost,  the  young  plant  should  receive  thorough  winter  protection. 
There  is  nothing  better  than  a  covering  of  earth.  In  the  spring  of  the 
second  year,  cut  the  young  plant  down  to  the  ground,  and  it  will  send 
up  a  strong,  vigorous  cane,  whose  appearance  and  fruit  will  give  a  fair 
suggestion  of  its  value  the  third  year.  Do  not  be  sure  of  a  prize,  even 
though  the  berries  are  superb  and  the  new  variety  starts  off  most 
vigorously.  Let  me  give  a  bit  of  experience.  In  a  fine  old  garden, 
located  in  the  center  of  the  city  of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  the  fruit  of  a  raspberry  bush  whose  roots  were  so  inter- 
laced with  those  of  a  grape-vine  that  they  could  not  be  separated.  It 
scarcely  seemed  to  have  a  fair  chance  to  live  at  all,  and  yet  it  was 
loaded  with  the  largest  and  most  delicious  red  raspberries  that  I  had 
then  ever  seen.  It  was  evidently  a  chance,  and  very  distinct  seedling. 
I  obtained  from  Mr.  T.  H.  Roe,  the  proprietor  of  the  garden,  permission 
to  propagate  the  variety,  and  in  the  autumn  removed  a  number  of  the 
canes  to  my  place  at  Cornwall.  My  first  object  was  to  learn  whether  it 
was  hardy,  and,  therefore,  not  the  slightest  protection  was  given  the 
canes  at  Newburgh,  nor  even  to  those  removed  to  my  own  place,  some 
of  which  were  left  four  feet  high  for  the  sake  of  this  test.  The  winter 
that  followed  was  one  of  the  severest  known  ;  the  mercury  sank  to  30° 
below  zero,  but  not  a  plant  at  either  locality  was  injured;  and  in  the 
old  garden  a  cane  fourteen  feet  long,  that  rested  on  the  grape-arbor,  was 
alive  to  the  tip,  and  in  July  was  loaded  with  the  most  beautiful  fruit  I  had 


Propagation.  \  63 

ever  seen.     It  was  uninjured  by  the  test  of  another  winter,  and  all  who 
saw  and    tasted  the  fruit  were  enthusiastic    in    its    praise.     The  Massa- 
chusetts Horticultural    Society  awarded  it  their  first  premium,  and  Mr. 
Charles  Downing  said  it  was  the  finest  red  raspberry  he  had  ever  seen. 
The  veteran  horticulturist,  Mr.  Wm.  Parry,  who  has  had  between  forty 
and  fifty    years    of   experience    in    small    fruits,  visited    my    place    that 
summer.     The  bushes  he  saw  had  never  received  any  protection,  and  had 
already  been    three  weeks    in  bearing,  but    they  were  still  full  of  fruit. 
After  picking  several  berries  that  measured    plump  three  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, he  said,  quietly,  "Put  me  down  for  500  plants."     In  no  other 
I  way  could  he  have  stated    his  favorable  opinion  more  emphatically.     It 
was  as  delicious  as  it  was  large  and  beautiful,  and  surely  I  was  reasonable 
in   expecting  for  it  a  brilliant  future.     In  my  faith,  I  planted  it  largely 
myself,  expecting   to  make  it  my  main  dependence  as  a  market  berry. 
But  in  August,  of  that  year,  many  of  the  canes  lost  their  foliage.     Those 
that  thus  suffered  were  not  entirely  hardy  the  following  winter.     It  was 
|  eventually  made  clear  that  it  belonged    to  the  tender  Rubus  Idceus  class, 
and,  therefore,  was    not    adapted    to    general    cultivation,  especially    on 
light    soils,  and  under  sunny  skies.     As  I  have  shown,  its  start  was  so 
full  of   vigor  and    promise  that  it  won  the  favor  and  confidence  of  the 
|  horticultural  veterans ;    but  it  suddenly  manifested  lack  of   stamina  and 
I  sturdy  persistence  in  well-doing.     And  this  is  just  the  trouble  which  every 
j  experienced  propagator  dreads.     Only  after  years  of  test  and  trial  in  many 
I  localities  can  he  be  assured  that  his  seedling  may  become  a  standard  variety. 
If  this  chance  seedling,  the  Pride  of   the  Hudson,  is  given  a  moist 
I  soil  in    some    half-shady  location,  it   will    yield    fruit    that    will   delight 
the    amateur's  heart,  but,  like    Brinkle's  Orange,  which  it    resembles  in 
flavor,  only  amateurs  will  give  it  the  petting  it  requires. 

As  suggested  when  treating  the  strawberry,  so  in  seeking  to  originate 
new  varieties  of  raspberries,  our  aim  should  be  to  develop  our  hardy 
native  species,  the  R.  Strigosus,  and,  if  we  employ  the  R.  Idceus  class  for 
parentage  on  one  side,  seek  its  most  vigorous  representatives,  such  as 
the  Belle  de  Fontenaye  and  Franconia. 


CHOICE   OF   LAND  —  ITS   PREPARATION — PLANTING. 

All  that  has  been  said  about  the  thorough  preparation  of  the  soil 
for  strawberries,  by  drainage,  deep  plowing,  trenching,  etc.,  applies 
to  raspberries,  but  differences  should  be  noted  in  respect  to  fertilizers. 
Land  can  scarcely  be  made  too  rich  for  any  variety  of  strawberries, 


1 64 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


but  certain  strong-growing  raspberries,  like  the  Cuthbert,  Herstine, 
and  Turner,  should  not  be  over-fertilized.  Some  kinds  demand  good, 
clean  culture,  rather  than  a  richness  that  would  cause  too  great  a 
growth  of  cane  and  foliage.  In  contrast,  the  feebler  growing  kinds, 
like  the  Brandywine,  and  most  of  the  foreign  varieties,  require  abun- 
dance of  manure.  Muck,  sweetened  by  lime  and  frost,  is  one  of  the 
simplest  and  best ;  but  anything  will  answer  that  is  not  too  full  of  heat 
and  ferment.  Like  the  strawberry,  the  raspberry  needs  cool  manures 
that  have  "staying"  qualities.  Unlike  the  former  fruit,  however,  the 
raspberry  does  well  in  partial  shade,  such  as  that  furnished  by  the 
northern  side  of  a  fence,  hedge,  etc.,  by  a  pear  or  even  apple  orchard, 
if  the  trees  still  permit  wide  intervals  of  open  sky.  The  red  varieties, 
especially  those  of  the  foreign  type,  much  prefer  moist,  heavy  soils ;  but 
the  black-caps  do  quite  as  well  on  light  ground,  if  moisture  can  be 
maintained.  The  latter,  also,  can  be  grown  farther  south  than  any 
other  species  ;  but  below  the  latitude  of  New  York,  those  containing 
foreign  elements  begin  to  fail  rapidly,  until,  at  last,  a  point  is  reached 
where  even  the  most  vigorous  native  red  varieties  refuse  to  live.  If  the 

climate,  however,  is  tempered 
by  height  above  the  sea,  as  in 
the  mountains  of  Georgia, 
they  will  thrive  abundantly. 

I  prefer  fall  planting  for 
raspberries,  especially  in 
southern  latitudes,  for  these 
reasons :  At  the  points  where 
the  roots  branch  (see  Fig.  A), 
are  buds  which  make  the 
future  stems  or  canes.  In  the 
fall,  these  are  dormant,  small, 
and  not  easily  broken  off,  as 
in  Fig.  B  ;  but  they  start  early 
in  spring,  and  if  planting  is 
delayed,  these  become  so  long 
and  brittle  that  the  utmost 


Spring  and  Fall  Plants. 


care  can  scarcely  save  them.  If  rubbed  off,  the  development  of  good 
bearing  canes  is  often  deferred  a  year,  although  the  plants  may  live 
and  fill  the  ground  with  roots.  The  more  growth  a  raspberry  plant 
has  made  when  set  out  in  spring,  the  greater  the  probability  that  it  will 
receive  a  check,  from  which  it  will  never  recover. 


Choice  of  Land — Its  Preparation — Planting.  165 

I  have  often  planted  in  May  and  June,  successfully,  by  taking  up 
the  young  suckers  when  from  six  inches  to  a  foot  high,  and  setting  them 
where  they  are  to  grow.  Immediately  on  taking  them  up,  I  cut  them 
back  so  that  only  one  or  two  inches  of  the  green  cane  is  left,  and  thus 
the  roots  are  not  taxed  to  sustain  wood  and  foliage  beyond  their  power. 
This  can  often  be  done  to  advantage,  when  the  plants  are  on  one's  own 
place,  and  in  moist,  cloudy  weather.  My  preference,  however,  is  to  plant 
the  latter  part  of  October  and  through  November,  in  well-prepared  and 
enriched  land.  The  holes  are  made  quite  deep  and  large,  and  the  bottom 
filled  with  good  surface  soil.  If  possible,  before  planting,  plow  and  cross- 
plow  deeply,  and  have  a  subsoiler  follow  in  each  furrow.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  we  are  preparing  for  a  crop  which  may  occupy  the  land 
for  ten  or  fifteen  years,  and  plants  will  suffer  from  every  drouth  if  set 
immediately  on  a  hard  subsoil.  On  heavy  land,  I  set  the  plants  one 
inch  deeper  than  they  were 
before ;  on  light  soils  two  or  ^ 

three  inches  deeper.  I  cut 
the  canes  off  six  inches 
above  the  surface  (see  Fig. 
C),  for  leaving  long  canes  is 
often  ruinous,  and  a  plant  is  , 

Winter  Protection  of 

frequently  two  or  three  years 
in  recovering  from  the  strain  of  trying  to  produce  fruit  the  first  year. 
The  whole  strength  of  the  roots  should  go  toward  producing  bearing 
canes  for  the  season  following ;  and  to  stimulate  such  growth,  I  throw 
directly  on  the  hill  one  or  two  shovelfuls  of  finely  rotted  compost 
and  then  mound  the  earth  over  the  hill  until  the  cane  is  wholly 
covered  (as  in  Fig.  D).  This  prevents  all  injury  from  the  winter's  cold. 
When  severe  frosts  are  over,  the  mound  is  leveled  down  again.  Under 
this  system,  I  rarely  lose  plants,  and  usually  find  that  double  growth  is 
made  compared  with  those  set  late  in  spring.  I  have  always  succeeded 
well,  however,  in  early  spring  planting;  and  well  to  the  north,  this  is, 
perhaps,  the  safer  season.  With  the  exception  of  mounding  the  earth 
over  the  hill,  plant  in  March  or  April  as  I  have  already  directed. 


CULTIVATION. 

In  cultivation,  keep  the  ground  level — do  not  let  it  become  banked  up 
against  the  hills,  as  is  often  the  case,  especially  with  those  tender  varieties  that 


1 66  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

are  covered  with  earth  every  winter.  Keep  the  surface  clean  and  mellow  by 
the  use  of  the  cultivator  and  hoe.  With  the  exception  of  from  four  to  six 
canes  in  the  hill,  treat  all  suckers  as  weeds,  cutting  them  down  while  they 
are  little — before  they  have  sucked  half  the  life  out  of  the  bearing  hill.  Put 
a  shovelful  or  two  of  good  compost — any  fertilizer  is  better  than  none — 
around  the  hills  or  along  the  rows,  late  in  the  fall,  and  work  it  lightly  in 
with  a  fork  if  'there  is  time.  The  autumn  and  winter  rains  will  carry 
it  down  to  the  roots,  giving  almost  double  vigor  and  fruitfulness  the  follow- 
ing season.  If  the  top-dressing  is  neglected  in  the  autumn,  be  sure  to 
give  it  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible,  and  work  it  down  toward  the 
roots.  Bone  dust,  ashes,  poudrette,  barn-yard  manure,  and  muck 
with  lime  can  be  used  alternate  years,  so  as  to  give  variety  of  plant 
food,  and  a  plantation  thus  sustained  can  be  kept  twenty  years  or  more ;  but 
under  the  usual  culture,  vigor  begins  to  fail  after  the  eighth  or  tenth  season. 
The  first  tendency  of  most  varieties  of  newly  set  red  raspberries  is  to 
sucker  immoderately ;  but  this  gradually  declines,  even  with  the  most  ram- 
pant, and  under  good  culture  the  fruiting  qualities  improve. 

In  dry  weather,  the  fork  should  not  be  used  during  the  growing  or 
bearing  season.  The  turning  down  of  a  strata  of  dry,  hot  soil  next  to  the 
roots  must  cause  a  sudden  check  and  injury  from  which  only  a  soaking 
rain  can  bring  full  relief.  But  in  moist  weather,  and  periods  preceding  and 
following  the  blossoming  and  fruiting  season,  I  have  often  used  the  fork  to 
advantage,  especially  if  there  is  a  sod  of  short,  succulent  weeds  to  be  turned 
under  as  a  green  crop.  If  the  ground  between  the  hills  was  stirred 
frequently  with  an  iron  garden- rake,  the  weeds  would  not  have  a  chance  to 
start.  This  is  by  far  the  best  and  cheapest  way  of  maintaining  our  part  in 
the  unceasing  conflict  with  vegetable  evil.  An  Irish  bull  hits  the  truth 
exactly — the  best  way  to  fight  weeds  is  to  have  none  to  fight;  and  raking 
the  ground  over  on  a  sunny  day,  about  once  a  week,  destroys  them  when 
they  are  as  yet  but  germinating  seeds.  At  the  same  time,  it  opens  the 
pores  of  the  earth,  as  a  physiologist  might  express  himself.  Unfailing 
moisture  is  maintained,  air,  light  and  heat  are  introduced  to  the  roots  in 
accordance  with  Nature's  taste,  and  the  whole  strength  of  the  mellow  soil 
goes  to  produce  only  that  which  is  useful.  But  this  teaching  is  like  the 
familiar  and  sound  advice — "  Form  no  bad  habits."  We  do  form  them  ; 
the  weeds  do  get  the  start  of  us,  and  therefore,  as  a  practical  fact,  the  old 
moral  and  physical  struggle  must  go  on  until  the  end  of  time. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


RASPBERRIES  —  PRUNING — STAKING — MULCHING — WINTER 
PROTECTION,    ETC. 

T  TSUALLY,  there  is  no  pruning  either  in  the  field  or  the  garden  beyond 
LJ  the  cutting  out  of  the  old  canes  and  the  shortening  in  of  the  new 
growth.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  whether  the  old  canes 
should  be  cut  out  immediately  after  fruiting,  or  left  to  natural  decay,  and 
removed  the  following  fall  or  spring.  I  prefer  the  former  course.  It  cer- 
tainly is  neater,  and  I  think  I  have  seen  increased  growth  in  the  young 
canes,  for  which  more  room  is  made,  and  to  whose  support  the  roots  can 
give  their  whole  strength.  The  new  growth  can  make  foliage  fast  enough 
to  develop  the  roots ;  still,  I  have  not  experimented  carefully,  and  so 
cannot  speak  accurately.  We  see  summer  pruning  often  advocated  on 
paper,  but  I  have  rarely  met  it  in  practice.  If  carefully  done  at  the 
proper  season,  however,  much  can  be  accomplished  by  it  in  the  way  of 
making  strong,  stocky  plants,  capable  of  standing  alone — plants  full  of 
lateral  branches,  like  little  trees,  that  will  be  loaded  with  fruit.  But  this 
summer  pinching  back  must  be  commenced  early,  while  the  new,  succulent 
growth  is  under  full  headway,  and  continued  through  the  busiest  season, 
when  strawberries  are  ripe  and  harvest  is  beginning.  It  should  not  be 
done  after  the  cane  has  practically  made  its  growth,  or  else  the  buds  that 
ought  to  remain  dormant  until  the  following  season  are  started  into  a  late 
and  feeble  growth  that  does  not  ripen  before  the  advent  of  early  frosts. 
Few  have  time  for  pruning  in  May  or  June.  If  they  have,  let  them  try  it 
by  all  means,  especially  on  the  black- cap  species.  It  does  not  require  so 


1 68  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

much  time  as  it  does  prompt  action  at  the  proper  period  of  growth.  In 
the  garden,  summer  pinching  can  transform  a  raspberry  bush  into  an  orna- 
mental shrub  as  beautiful  as  useful.  It  is  much  better  adapted  to  the 
hardier  varieties  than  to  those  that  must  be  bent  down  and  covered  with 
earth.  With  the  R.  Occidentalis  species,  summer  pinching  would  always 
pay  well.  The  best  I  can  do,  usually,  with  the  red  varieties,  is  to  prune  in 
November  and  March — it  should  be  done  before  the  buds  develop.  Unless 
early  fruit  is  wanted,  I  believe  in  cutting  back  heroically.  Nature  once  gave 
me  a  very  useful  hint.  One  very  cold  winter,  a  row  of  Clarke  raspberries 
was  left  unprotected.  The  canes  were  four  or  five  feet  high,  but  were  killed 
down  to  the  snow-level,  or  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  ground ;  but  from 
what  was  left  uninjured,  we  had  as  many  and  far  finer  berries  than  were 
gathered  from  other  rows  where  the  canes  had  been  left  their  full  length  and 
protected  by  a  covering  of  earth.  The  fruit  was  later,  however.  I  would 
remind  careful  observers  of  the  raspberry  how  often  buds  on  canes  that 
have  been  broken  off  or  cut  away  back  develop  into  long  sprays,  enormously 
fruitful  of  the  largest  berries.  I  have  counted  fifty,  and  even  eighty,  berries 
on  a  branch  that  had  grown  from  a  single  bud  within  one  or  two  feet  of  the 
ground.  These  lower  buds  often  do  not  start  at  all  when  the  canes  are  left 
their  full,  or  nearly  their  full  length.  In  the  latter  case,  the  fruit  ripens 
much  earlier  and  more  together,  and  since  an  early  crop,  though  inferior 
in  quality  and  quantity,  may  be  more  valuable  than  a  late  one,  the  fruit 
grower  often  objects  to  pruning.  But  in  the  garden,  while  the  canes  of 
some  early  kinds  are  left  their  full  length,  I  would  recommend  that  others, 
especially  those  of  the  later  varieties,  be  cut  back  one-half.  Even  for 
market  purposes,  I  believe  that  the  superb  fruit  resulting  from  such  pruning 
would  bring  more  money  in  most  instances.  At  any  rate,  the  season  of 
bearing  would  be  greatly  prolonged. 

Mulching  on  a  large  scale  would  not  pay  in  most  localities.  In  regions 
where  salt  hay,  flags,  etc.,  can  be  cut  in  abundance,  or  when  straw  is  so 
plenty  as  to  be  of  little  value,  it  no  doubt  could  be  applied  profitably.  On 
Staten  Island,  I  have  seen  large  patches  mulched  with  salt  hay.  The  canes 
were  unstaked,  and  many  of  them  bent  over  on  the  clean  hay  with  their 
burden  of  fruit.  When  there  are  no  stakes  or  other  support  used,  the 
berries  certainly  should  be  kept  from  contact  with  the  soil.  The  chief 
advantage  of  the  mulch,  however,  is  in  the  preservation  of  moisture.  When 
it  is  given  freely,  all  the  fruit  perfects,  and  in  a  much  longer  succession. 
The  weeds  and  suckers  are  kept  down,  and  the  patch  has  a  neat  appear- 
ance. Moreover,  mulching  prevents  the  foliage  from  burning,  and  enables 
the  gardener  to  grow  successfully  the  finer  varieties  farther  to  the  south 


Pruning — Staking — Mulching — Winter  Protection,  Etc.         169 


and  on  light  soils.  In  keeping  down  the  weeds  through  the  long  summer, 
a  mulch  of  leaves,  straw,  or  any  coarse  litter,  is  often  far  less  costly  than 
would  be  the  labor  required. 

Staking  raspberries  is  undoubtedly  the  best,  simplest  and  cheapest 
method  of  supporting  the  canes  of  most  varieties  and  in  most  localities.  I 
agree  with  the  view  taken  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller.  "  Chestnut  stakes,"  he 
writes,  "  five  feet  long  and  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter,  made  from  large 
trees,  cost  me  less  than  two  cents  each,  and  my  location  is  within  twenty 
miles  of  New  York  city,  where  timber  of  all  kinds  commands  a  large  price. 
I  cannot  afford  to  grow  raspberries  without  staking,  because  every  stake 
will  save  on  an  average  ten  cents'  worth  of  fruit,  and,  in  many  instances, 
three  times  that  amount."  Of  course,  split  chestnut  stakes  look  the 
neatest  and  last  the  longest ;  but  a  raspberry  bush  is  not  fastidious,  and  I 
utilize  old  bean-poles,  limbs  of  trees — anything  that  keeps  the  canes  from 
sprawling  in  the  dirt  with  their  delicate  fruit.  Thus,  in  many  instances, 
the  stakes  will  cost  little  more  than  a  boy's  labor  in  preparing  them,  and 
they  can  be  of  various  lengths,  according  to  the  height  of  our  canes.  As 
they  become  too  much  decayed  for  further  use,  they  make  a  cheery  blaze 
on  the  hearth  during  the  early  autumn  evenings.  There  are  stocky 
growing  varieties,  like  the  Cuthbert,  Turner,  Hers  tine  and  others,  that  by 
summer  pruning  or  vigorous  cutting  back  would  be  self-supporting,  if  not 
too  much  exposed  to  high  winds.  The  question  is  a  very  practical  one, 
and  should  be  decided  largely  by  ex- 
perience and  the  grower's  locality. 
There  are  fields  and  regions  in  which 
gales,  and  especially  thunder -gusts, 
would  prostrate  into  the  dirt  the 
stoutest  bushes  that  could  be  formed 
by  summer  pruning,  breaking  down 
canes  heavy  with  green  and  ripe  fruit. 
In  saving  a  penny  stake,  a  bit  of 
string,  and  the  moment  required  for 
tying,  one  might  be  made  to  feel,  after 
a  July  storm,  that  he  had  been  too 
thrifty.  As  far  as  my  experience  and 
observation  go,  I  would  either  stake 

all  my  bushes  that  stood  separately  and  singly,  or  else  would  grow 
them  in  a  loose,  continuous,  bushy  row,  and  keep  the  fruit  clean  by  some 
kind  of  mulch.  Splashed,  muddy  berries  are  not  fit  either  to  eat  or 
to  sell. 

22 


a.  Canes  snugly  tied.       b.  Canes  improperly  tied. 

Right  and  Wrong  Ways  of  Tying  Canes. 


I/O 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


In  many  localities,  however,  stakes  are  dispensed  with.  In  the  garden, 
wires,  fastened  to  posts,  are  occasionally  stretched  along  the  rows,  and 
the  canes  tied  to  these.  The  method  in  this  section,  however,  is  to 
insert  stakes  firmly  in  the  hill,  by  means  of  a  pointed  crowbar,  and  the 
canes  are  tied  to  them  as  early  in  spring  as  possible.  Unless  watched,  the 
boys  who  do  the  tying  persist  in  leaving  the  upper  cords  of  the  canes  loose. 
These  unsupported  ends,  when  weighted  with  fruit  and  foliage,  break,  of 
course.  The  canes  should  be  snugly  tied  their  whole  length. 

If  bushes  made  stocky  by  summer  pruning  are  supported,  let  the  stake 
be  inserted  on  the  side  opposite  from  which  heavy  winds  are  expected. 


WINTER   PROTECTION — TAKING   UP   PLANTS   FOR    SPRING   USE  — 

STORING   THEM. 

Nearly 'all  foreign  varieties  and  their  seedlings  need  winter  protection, 
or  are  the  better  for  it,  north  of  the  latitude  of  New  York  city.     Many 
of  the  hardier  kinds,  like  the  Herstine  and  Clarke,  will  usually  survive  if 
bent  over  and  kept  close  to  the  earth  by  the  weight  of  poles  or  a  shovelful 
or  two  of  soil ;  but  all  of  the  Antwerp  class  need  to  be  entirely  covered. 
To  many,  this  winter  covering  is  a  great  bugbear,  even  when  only  a 
small  patch  in  the  garden  is  involved.     There  is  a 
constant  demand  for  "  perfectly  hardy  "  varieties.      It 
should  be  remembered  that  many  of  the  best  kinds 
are    not   hardy  at   all,   and    that   perhaps    none  are 
"  perfectly    hardy."      The    Turner    has    never    been 
injured    on    my   place,   and   the    Cuthbert    is    rarely 
hurt;     but    occasionally    they    are    partially    killed, 
more   by  alternations   of  freezing  and  thawing  than 
by  steady  cold.     What  are  termed  "  open  winters  " 

are  often  the 
most  destruct- 
ive. I  find  that 
it  pays  to  cover 
all  those  kinds 
that  are  liable 
to  injury,  and, 
as  the  varieties 
are  described, 


Pruning  and  Laying  Down  Canes. 


this    need    will    be    distinctly    stated.     The    difficulties    of    covering   are 
chiefly   imaginary,  and    it  can    be    done   by  the    acre    at    comparatively 


Winter  Protection — Taking  up  Plants  for  Spring  Use.  17 1 

slight  cost.  The  vast  crops  of  the  Hudson  River  Antwerp  were  raised 
from  fields  covered  every  fall.  In  the  garden,  I  do  not  consider  the 
labor  worth  naming  in  comparison  with  the  advantages  secured.  Those 
who  find  time  to  carefully  cover  their  cabbages  and  gather  turnips  should 
not  talk  of  the  trouble  of  protecting  a  row  of  delicious  Herstine  raspberries. 
Still,  Nature  is  very  indulgent  to  the  lazy,  and  has  given  us  as  fine  a 
raspberry  as  the  Cuthbert,  which,  thus  far  with  but  few  exceptions,  has 
endured  our  Northern  winters.  In  November,  I  have  the  labor  of 
covering  performed  in  the  following  simple  way :  B  is  a  hill  with  canes 
untrimmed.  C,  the  canes  have  been  shortened  one- third — my  rule 
in  pruning.  After  trimming,  the  canes  are  ready  to  be  laid  down,  and  they 

should  all  be  bent  one  way. 
To  turn  them  sharply  over 
and  cover  them  with  earth, 
would  cause  many  of  the 


Storage  Ground  for  Raspberries,  Currants,  etc. 

stronger  ones  to  break  just  above  the  root,  so  I  have 
a  shovelful  of  soil  thrown  on  one  side  of  the  hill,  as 
in  Fig.  C,  and  the  canes  bent  over  this  little  mound. 

They  thus  describe  a  curve,  instead  of  lying  at  right  angles  on  the  surface, 
with  a  weight  of  earth  upon  them.  A  boy  holds  the  cane  down,  while  a 
man  on  either  side  of  the  row  rapidly  shovels  the  earth  upon  them.  If 
the  work  is  to  be  done  on  a  large  scale,  one  or  two  shovelfuls  will  pin 
the  canes  to  the  earth,  and  then,  by  throwing  a  furrow  over  them  on  both 
sides  with  a  plow,  the  labor  is  soon  accomplished.  It  will  be  necessary  to 
follow  the  plow  with  a  shovel,  and  increase  the  covering  here  and  there. 
In  spring,  as  soon  as  hard  frosts  are  over,  the  first  week  in  April,  in  our 
latitude,  usually, — begin  at  the  end  of  the  row  toward  which  the 
canes  were  bent,  and  with  a  fork  throw  and  push  the  earth  aside  and 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

gently  lift  the  canes  out  of  the  soil,  taking  pains  to  level  the  ground 
thoroughly,  and  not  leave  it  heaped  up  against  the  hills.  This  should  not 
be  done  when  the  earth  is  wet  and  sticky.  Keep  off  the  ground  at  such 
times,  unless  the  season  is  growing  so  late  that  there  is  danger  of  the  canes 
decaying  if  not  exposed  to  the  air.  The  sooner  they  are  staked  and  tied 
up  after  uncovering,  the  better. 

For  market  or  other  purposes,  we  may  wish  a  number  of  young  plants, 
in  which  case  there  is  much  room  for  good  sense  in  taking  them  up. 
Many  lay  hold  upon  the  canes  and  pull  so  hastily  that  little  save  sticks 
come  out.  A  gardener  wants  fibrous  roots  rather  than  top  :  therefore,  send 
the  spade  down  under  the  roots  and  pry  them  out.  Suckers  and  root-cutting 
plants  can  be  dug  in  October,  after  the  wood  has  fairly  ripened,  but  be  care- 
ful to  leave  no  foliage  on  the  canes  that  are  taken  up  before  the  leaves  fall, 
for  they  rapidly  drain  the  vitality  of  the  plants.  It  is  best  to  cut  the  canes 
down  to  within  a  foot  of  the  surface  before  digging.  I  prefer  taking  up  all 
plants  for  sale  or  use  in  the  latter  part  of  October  and  November,  and 
those  not  set  out  or  disposed  of  are  stored  closely  in  trenches,  with  the 
roots  a  foot  or  more  below  the  surface.  By  thus  burying  them  deeply 
and  by  leaving  on  them  a  heavy  covering  of  leaves,  they  are  kept  in  a 
dormant  state  quite  late  in  spring,  and  so  can  be  handled  without  breaking 
off  the  buds  which  make  the  future  canes.  But,  as  we  have  already  said, 
the  earlier  they  are  planted  after  the  frost  is  out,  the  better. 


t 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


RASPBERRIES — VARIETIES   OF   THE   FOREIGN   AND   NATIVE    SPECIES. 


r  I  AHIS  chapter  will  treat  first  of  the  imported  kinds,  which  usually  are 
.1.    more  or  less  tender,  and  then,  by  way  of  contrast,  of  the  hardy  varie- 
ties of  our  native  R.  Strigosus. 

I  shall  speak  of  those  only  that  are  now  in  general  cultivation,  naming 
a  few,  also,  whose  popularity  in  the  past  has  been  so  great  as  to  entitle 
them  to  mention. 

As  was  true  of  strawberries,  so  also  varieties  of  raspberries,  that  won 
name  and  fame  abroad,  were  imported,  and  a  few  of  them  have  adapted 
themselves  so  well  to  American  soil  and  climate  as  to  have  become 
standards  of  excellence.  Among  the  best-known  of  these  formerly  was 
the  Red  Antwerp  of  England.  Few  old-fashioned  gardens  were  without 
it  at  one  time,  but  it  is  fast  giving  way  to  newer  and  more  popular  varie- 
ties. The  canes  are  vigorous,  stocky  and  tall ;  spines  light- red,  numerous 
and  rather  strong.  Winter  protection  is  always  needed.  The  berries  are 
large  and  very  obtuse  conical,  dark-red,  large-grained,  and  covered  with  a 
thick  bloom,  very  juicy,  and  exceedingly  soft — too  much  so  for  market 
purposes.  They  made  a  dainty  dish  for  home  use,  however,  and  our 
grandmothers,  when  maidens,  gathered  them  in  the  lengthening  summer 
shadows. 

The  Hudson  River  Antwerp,  the  most  celebrated  foreign  berry  in 
America,  is  quite  distinct  from  the  above,  although  belonging  to  the 
same  family.  It  is  shorter  and  more  slender  in  its  growth,  quite  free 

173 


174 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


from  spines,  and  its  canes  are  of  a  peculiar  mouse-color.  Its  fruit  is 
even  larger,  but  firm,  decidedly  conical,  not  very  bright  when  fally  ripe, 
and  rather  dry,  but  sweet  and  agreeable  in  flavor.  Mr.  Downing  says 
that  its  origin  is  unknown,  and  that  it  was  brought  to  this  country  by 


Gathering  a  Dainty  Dish. 


the  late  Mr.  Briggs,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  "  As  this  gentleman  was 
leaving  England "  (thus  the  story  is  told,  Mr  Downing  writes  to  me), 
"  he  visited  a  friend  to  say  good-bye,  and  solicited  this  new  raspberry. 
Since  he  was  leaving  the  country,  and  could  cause  no  injury  to  the  sale 
of  plants,  his  friend  gave  him  a  few  in  parting,  although  three  guineas 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species.  175 

had  been  refused  for  a  single  plant  hitherto,  in  the  careful  effort  to 
secure  a  large  stock  before  putting  the  variety  on  the  market"  Its 
name  suggests  Belgium  as  its  original  home. 

This  Antwerp  continues  long  in  bearing,  and  the  berries  begin  to 
ripen  early.  The  good  carrying  qualities  of  the  fruit,  combined  with 
great  productiveness,  made  it  at  one  time  the  most  profitable  market 
berry  in  this  section ;  but  its  culture  was  chiefly  confined  to  a  narrow 
strip  on  the  west  shore  of  the  Hudson,  extending  from  Cornwall  to 
Kingston.  For  some  obscure  reasons,  it  did  not  thrive  in  other  local- 
ities, and  now  it  appears  to  be  failing  fast  in  its  favorite  haunt.  A 
disease  called  the  "curl-leaf"  is  destroying  some  of  the  oldest  and  largest 
plantations,  and  the  growers  are  looking  about  for  hardier  and  more 
vigorous  varieties.  But  in  its  palmy  days,  and  even  still,  the  Hudson 
River  Antwerp  was  one  of  the  great  productions  of  the  country, 
sending  barges  and  steamers  nightly  to  New  York  laden  with  ruby 
cones,  whose  aroma  was  often  very  distinct  on  the  lee  shore  while  the 
boats  were  passing.  This  enormous  business  had  in  part  a  chance 
and  curious  origin,  and  a  very  small  beginning ;  while  the  celebrated 
variety  itself,  which  eventually  covered  so  many  hundreds  of  acres  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Hudson,  may  be  traced  back  through  two  lines  of 
ancestry.  An  English  gardener,  who  probably  obtained  the  plants  from 
Mr.  Briggs,  gave  some  of  them  to  a  Mr.  Samuel  Barnes,  who  resided 
in  Westchester  County.  From  him,  Mr.  Thos.  H.  Burling,  of  New 
Rochelle,  N.  Y.,  secured  an  abundant  supply  for  his  home  garden. 
Here  its  value  was  observed  by  Mr.  Nathaniel  Hallock,  who  transferred 
some  of  the  canes  to  his  place  at  Milton,  N.  Y.  From  his  garden 
they  spread  over  many  fields  beside  his  own. 

In  respect  to  the  other  line  of  ancestry  of  this  historical  berry, 
I  am  indebted  for  the  following  facts  to  Mr.  W.  C.  Young,  of  Marl- 
boro', N.  Y. :  Many  years  ago,  a  bundle  of  raspberry  plants  was 
left  at  a  meat-market  in  Poughkeepsie,  and  Mr.  Watters,  the  proprietor 
of  the  place,  kept  them  several  days,  expecting  that  they  would  be 
called  for.  As  they  remained  upon  his  hands,  he  planted  them  in  his 
garden,  where,  like  genuine  worth,  they  soon  asserted  their  superiority. 
Mr.  Edward  Young,  of  Marlboro',  a  relative  of  Mr.  Watters,  received  a 
present  of  a  few  roots,  which  supplied  his  family  with  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  berries  he  had  ever  seen.  Good  propagates  itself  as  well 
as  evil  if  given  a  chance,  and  Mr.  Young  soon  had  far  more  fruit  than 
was  needed  by  his  family,  and  he  resolved  to  try  the  fortunes  of  his 
favorite  in  New  York  market.  "  For  this  purpose,"  his  son  writes,  "  my 


176 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


Antwerp  Class  of  Raspberries 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species. 


177 


father  procured  imported  fancy  willow  baskets,  holding  about  one  pint 
each,  and  carefully  packed  these  in  crates  made  for  the  purpose.  This 
mode  proved  a  success,  both  in  carrying  them  securely  and  in  making  them 
very  attractive.  The  putting  up  such  a  fine  variety  of  fruit  in  this  way 
gave  it  notoriety  at  once,  and  it  brought  at  first  as  much  as  one  dollar 


per  quart.  My  father  was  so  well 
satisfied  with  his  experiment  that 
he  advised  his  sons,  Alexander, 
Edward  and  myself,  to  extend  the 
culture  of  this  variety  largely. 
We  entered  into  the  business,  and, 
pursuing  it  with  diligence,  were 
well  compensated.  Our  success  HHH^B!^' 
made  others  desirous  of  engaging 
in  it,  and  so  it  spread  out  into 
its  large  dimensions."  Mr.  Taber's  The  Rush  for  the  Night  Boat 

graphic  picture  of  "  Rush  for  the  night  boat  "  suggests  how  extensive 
that  business  became.  The  line  of  wagons  at  Marlboro'  Landing 
was  often  nearly  half  a  mile  long.  Mr.  Alexander  Young  estimates 
that  in  the  year  1858  1,000,000  pint  baskets,  or  about  14,700  bushels, 
23 


1/8 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


were  shipped  from  Marlboro' ;  but  adds  that,  since  "  1860  it  has  decreased 
as  fast.  From  present  appearances,  the  variety  must  become  extinct, 
and  I  fear  will  never  have  its  equal."  Milton,  Cornwall,  Newburgh, 


The  Approach  of  the  Night  Boat. 

and  other  points  competed  in  the  profitable  industry,  and  now,  with 
Marlboro',  are  replacing  the  failing  variety  with  other  kinds  more 
vigorous  in  growth,  but  thus  far  inferior  in  quality. 

That  the  great  industry  is  not  falling  off  is  shown  by  the  following 
statement,  taken  from  the  New  York  Tribune  in  the  summer  of  1879: 
"  The  village  of.  Highland,  opposite  Poughkeepsie,  runs  a  berry  boat  daily 
to  New  York,  and  the  large  night  steamers  are  now  taking  out  immense 
loads  of  raspberries  from  the  river  towns  every  evening,  having  at  times 
nearly  2,000  bushels  on  board." 

'  From  as  careful  a  computation  as  I  have  been  able  to  make,  through 
the  courtesy  of  the  officers  of  the  large  Kingston  boats,  the  Baldwin  and 
Cornell,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  these  two  steamers  unitedly  carried  to  the 
city  over  twenty  thousand  bushels  of  berries  that  same  year.  The  magni- 
tude of  this  industry  on  the  Hudson  will  be  still  better  realized  when  it  is 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species. 


179 


remembered  that  several  other  freight  boats  divide  this  traffic  with  the 
Kingston  steamers. 

When  we  consider  what  a  delicate  and  perishable  fruit  this  is,  it  can  be 
understood  that  gathering  and  packing  it  properly  is  no  bagatelle.  Some- 
times you  will  find  the  fruit  grower's  family  in  the  field,  from  the  matron 
down  to  the  little  ones  that  cannot  reach  the  highest  berries.  But  the  home 
force  is  wholly  insufficient,  and  any  one  who  will  pick — man,  woman  or  child — 
is  employed.  Therefore,  drifting  through  the  river  towns  during  June  and 
July,  are  found  specimens  almost  as  picturesque,  if  not  so  highly  colored, 
as  those  we  saw  at  Norfolk, — poor  whites  from  the  back  country  and 
mountains ;  people  from  the  cities  on  a  humble  "  lark,"  who  cannot  afford 
to  rusticate  at  a  hotel ;  semi-tramps,  who  have  not  attained  to  the  final 
stage  of  aristocratic  idleness,  wherein  the  offer  of  work  is  an  insult  which 
they  resent  by  burning  a  barn.  Rude  shanties,  with  bunks,  are  fitted  up  to 
give  all  the  shelter  they  require.  Here  they  lead  a  gypsy  life,  quite  as 
much  to  their  taste  as  camping  in  the  Adirondacks,  cooking  and  smoking 
through  the  June  twilight,  and  as  oblivious  of  the  exquisite  scenery  about 


Picking  Raspberries  on  a  Hill-side. 

them  as  the  onion-eating  peasants  of  Italy ;  but  when  picking  the  fruit  on 
a  sunny  slope,  and  half  hidden  by  the  raspberry  bushes,  Nature  blends 
them  with  the  scene  so  deftly  that  even  they  become  picturesque. 


i8o  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

The  little  round  "  thirds,"  as  they  are  termed,  into  which  the  berries 
are  gathered,  are  carried  out  of  the  sunlight  to  sheds  and  barns  ;  the  packer 
receives  them,  giving  tickets  in  exchange,  and  then,  too  often  with  the 
deliberation  and  ease  induced  by  the  summer  heat,  packs  them  in  crates. 
As  a  result,  there  is  frequently  a  hurry-scurry  later  in  the  day  to  get  the 
berries  off  in  time.  The  sketches  from  Mr.  A.  G.  Clark's  thriving  fruit 
farm  are  suggestive  portraitures  of  certain  phases  of  midsummer  life  in  the 
Hudson  raspberry  regions. 

The  Fastollf,  Northumberland  Fillbasket,  and  Knevett's  Giant  are  fine 
old  English  varieties  that  are  found  in  private  gardens,  but  have  never 
made  their  way  into  general  favor. 

The  Franconia  is  now  the  best  foreign  variety  we  have.  It  was  intro- 
duced from  Paris  by  Mr.  S.  G.  Perkins,  of  Boston,  about  thirty-seven  years 
ago,  and  is  a  large,  obtuse  conical  berry,  firm,  thus  carrying  well  to  market, 
and  although  a  little  sour,  its  acid  is  of  a  rich,  sprightly  character.  It  is 
raised  largely  in  Western  New  York,  and  in  northern  latitudes  is  one  of  the 
most  profitable. 

It  is  almost  hardy  in  the  vicinity  of  Rochester,  receiving  by  some 
growers  no  winter  protection.  Its  lack  of  hardiness  with  us,  and  farther 
southward,  is  due  to  its  tendency — common  to  nearly  all  foreign  berries  — 
to  lose  its  foliage  in  August.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  would  prove 
one  of  the  most  profitable  in  Canada,  and  that  if  it  were  simply  pinned 
down  to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  thus  kept  under  the  deep  snows,  it 
would  rarely  suffer  from  the  cold.  It  should  be  distinctly  understood  that 
the  climate  of  Canada,  if  winter  protection  is  given, —  indeed,  I  may  say, 
without  protection, — is  far  better  adapted  to  tender  raspberries  than  that 
of  New  Jersey,  Virginia,  or  even  Pennsylvania. 

The  long  continuance  of  the  Franconia  in  bearing  is  one  of  its  best 
qualities.  We  usually  enjoy  its  fruit  for  six  weeks  together.  Its  almost 
globular  shape  is  in  contrast  with  another  excellent  French  variety,  the 
Belle  de  Fontenay,  a  large,  long,  conical,  but  somewhat  irregular-shaped 
berry  of  very  superior  flavor.  Mr.  Fuller  says  that  it  is  entirely  hardy. 
It  survives  the  winter  without  protection  on  my  grounds.  The  canes  are 
very  stocky  and  strong,  and  unless  growing  thickly  together  are  branching. 
Its  most  marked  characteristic,  however,  is  a  second  crop  in  autumn,  pro- 
duced on  the  tips  of  the  new  canes.  If  the  canes  of  the  previous  year  are 
cut  even  with  the  ground  early  in  spring,  the  new  growth  gives  a  very 
abundant  autumn  crop  of  berries,  which,  although  much  inclined  to  crumble 
in  picking,  and  to  be  irregular  in  shape,  have  still  the  rare  flavor  of  a 
delicious  fruit  long  out  of  season.  It  certainly  is  the  best  of  the 
fall-bearing  kinds,  and  deserves  a  place  in  every  garden.  There  are 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species. 


Franconia   and    Belle   de   Fontenay  Rasp- 
berries, with  an  autumn  branch 
of  the  latter. 

more  profitable  market  varie- 
ties, however;  but,  if  the  suckers 
are  vigorously  destroyed,  and 
the  bearing  canes  cut  well  back, 
the  fruit  is  often  very  large, 
abundant  and  attractive,  bring- 
ing the  highest  prices.  As  a 
plantation  grows  older,  the 
tendency  to  sucker  immoder- 
ately decreases,  and  the  fruit 
improves.  Its  autumn  bearing 
trait  is  shown  by  the  engraving 
of  a  loaded  tip,  cut  in  October, 
and  the  late  berries  are  seen 
to  be  very  different  in  appear- 
ance from  those  that  mature  in 
July. 

The  Belle  de  Pallua  and 
Hornet  are  also  French  varieties, 
that  in  some  sections  yield  fine 
fruit,  but  are  too  uncertain  to 
become  favorites  in  our  country. 


1 82  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

I  have  a  few  canes  of  a  French  variety,  that  Mr.  Downing  imported  a 
number  of  years  since,  and  of  which  the  name  has  been  lost  It  certainly 
is  the  finest  raspberry  I  have  ever  seen,  and  I  am  testing  its  adaptation  to 
various  soils. 

Having  named  the  best-known  foreign  varieties,  I  will  now  turn  to  R. 
Strigosus,  or  our  native  species,  which  is  scattered  almost  everywhere 
throughout  the  North.  In  its  favorite  haunts  by  road-side  hedge  and  open 
glade  in  the  forest,  a  bush  is  occasionally  found  producing  such  fine  fruit 
that  the  delighted  discoverer  marks  it,  and  in  the  autumn  transfers  it  to  his 
garden.  As  a  result,  a  new  variety  is  often  heralded  throughout  the  land. 
A  few  of  these  wildings  have  become  widely  popular,  and  among  them  the 
Brandywine  probably  has  had  the  most  noted  career. 

Mr.  William  Parry,  of  New  Jersey,  who  has  been  largely  interested  in 
this  variety,  writes  to  me  as  follows : 

"  I  have  never  been  able  to  trace  the  origin  of  this  berry.  It  attracted  attention 
some  eight  or  ten  years  since  in  the  Wilmington  market,  and  was  for  a  time  called 
the  '  Wilmington.' " 

Subsequently,  Mr.  Edward  Tatnall,  of  that  city,  undertook  to  introduce 
it  by  the  name  of  Susqueco,  the  Indian  name  for  the  Brandywine.  It  soon 
became  the  principal  raspberry  grown  along  the  Brandywine  Creek,  and, 
as  the  market-men  would  persist  in  calling  it  after  its  chief  haunt,  it  will 
probably  bear  the  historical  name  until  it  passes  wholly  out  of  favor.  Its 
popularity  is  already  on  the  wane,  because  of  its  dry  texture  and  insipid 
flavor,  but  its  bright  color,  good  size,  and  especially  its  firmness  and  remark- 
able carrying  qualities,  will  ever  lead  to  its  ready  sale  in  the  market.  It  is 
not  a  tall,  vigorous  grower,  except  in  very  rich  land.  The  young  canes  are 
usually  small,  slender,  of  a  pale  red  color,  and  have  but  few  spines.  Like 
nearly  all  the  R.  Strigosus  species,  it  tends  to  sucker  immoderately.  If 
this  disposition  is  rigorously  checked  by  hoe  and  cultivator  it  is  productive; 
otherwise  the  bearing  canes  are  choked  and  rendered  Comparatively 
unfruitful.  This  variety  is  waning  before  the  Cuthbert — a  larger  and  much 
better  berry. 

The  Turner  is  another  of  this  class,  and,  in  Mr.  Charles  Downing's 
opinion,  is  the  best  of  them.  It  was  introduced  by  Professor  J.  B.  Turner, 
of  Illinois,  and  is  a  great  favorite  in  many  parts  of  the  West.  It  has  behaved 
well  on  my  place  for  several  years,  and  I  am  steadily  increasing  my  stock 
of  it.  I  regard  it  as  the  hardiest  raspberry  in  cultivation,  and  a  winter 
must  be  severe,  indeed,  that  injures  it.  Like  the  Crescent  Seedling  straw- 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species. 


183 


Native  Raspberries  of  America. 
(Rubus  Strigosus.) 


berry,  it  will  grow  anywhere, 
and  under  almost  any  condi- 
tions. The  laziest  man  on  the 
continent  can  have  its  fruit  in 
abundance,  if  he  can  muster  sufficient 
spirit  to  put  out  a  few  roots,  and  hoe 
out  all  the  suckers  except  five  or  six  in 
the  hill.  It  is  early,  and  in  flavor  sur- 
passes all  of  its  class  ;  the  fruit  is  only 


184  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

moderately  firm.  Plant  a  few  in  some  out-of-the-way  place,  and  it 
will  give  the  largest  return  for  the  least  amount  of  labor  of  any  kind 
with  which  I  am  acquainted.  The  canes  are  very  vigorous,  of  a 
golden  reddish-brown,  like  mahogany,  over  which  spreads  in  many 
places  a  purple  bloom,  like  that  on  a  grape,  and  which  rubs  off  at  the 
touch.  It  is  almost  free  from  spines,  and  so  closely  resembles  the 
"  Southern  Thornless  "  in  all  respects  that  I  cannot  distinguish  between 
them. 

The  Turner  is  a  fine  example  of  the  result  of  persistent  well-doing. 
After  having  been  treated  slightingly  and  written  down  at  the  East  for  ten 
years  or  more,  it  is  now  steadily  winning  its  way  toward  the  front  rank. 
Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller,  who  has  tried  most  of  the  older  varieties,  says  that  he 
keeps  a  patch  of  it  for  his  own  use,  because  it  gives  so  much  good  fruit 
with  so  little  trouble. 

I  shall  give  its  origin  in  Professor  Turner's  own  words,  as  far  as  possible: 
"Soon  after  I  came  to  Illinois,  in  1833,  I  obtained,  through  a  friend 
from  the  East,  some  raspberries  sold  to  me  as  the  'Red  Antwerp/ 
I  do  not  know  or  believe  that  there  was  at  that  time  any  other  red 
raspberry  within  one  hundred  miles  of  this  place.  Indeed,  I  have  never 
seen  a  native  wild  red  raspberry  in  the  State,  though  it  may  be  there 
are  some.  I  found  the  Antwerp  would  not  stand  our  climate,  but  by 
extreme  care  I  protected  it  one  winter,  and  it  bore  some  fruit.  I  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  amusing  my  leisure  hours  from  college  duty  by 
raising  new  seedling  raspberries,  strawberries,  etc.,  that  would  be 
adapted  to  the  climate  of  the  State.  I  had  only  a  small  garden  spot, 
no  particular  knowledge  of  the  business,  and  no  interest  in  it  outside 
of  the  public  good.  I  read  upon  the  subject,  as  far  as  I  then  could, 
and  planted  and  nursed  my  seedlings.  Out  of  hundreds  or  thousands 
sown,  I  got  one  good  early  strawberry,  which  had  a  local  run  for  a  time ; 
one  fair  blackberry,  but  no  grapes  or  raspberries  that  seemed  worth 
anything.  The  seeds  of  the  raspberries  were  sown  in  ?  bed  back  of 
my  house,  and  the  shoots  reserved  were  all  nurtured  on  thx,  same  bed. 
After  I  supposed  them  to  be  a  failure,  I  set  out  an  arbor  vitae  hedge 
directly  across  the  raspberry  bed,  making  some  effort  to  destroy  the 
canes  so  that  the  little  cedars  might  grow.  Sometimes,  when  they  were 
in  the  way  of  the  cedars  they  were  hoed  out.  If  any  of  them  bore 
berries,  the  fowls  doubtless  destroyed  them,  or  the  children  ate  them 
before  they  ripened,  until  the  cedars  got  so  high  as  to  give  them  pro- 
tection. Then  the  children  found  the  ripe  fruit,  and  reported  it  to  me. 
I  have  not  the  least  doubt  but  this  raspberry  came  from  a  seed  of 


Varieties  of  the  Foreign  and  Native  Species.  185 

the  plants  obtained  from  the  East  as  the  Red  Antwerp.  The  original 
canes  may  have  been  false  to  name,  or  a  mixture  of  the  true  and 
false.  Whatever  they  were,  they  bore  good,  red  berries,  which  I 
supposed  to  be  Antwerps,  but  the  canes  were  so  tender  as  to  be  worth- 
less. It  is  wholly  impossible  that  the  new  variety  should  have  come  from 
any  other  seed  than  that  sown  by  me  where  the  vitae  hedge  now  stands." 

This  letter  is  very  interesting  in  showing  how  curiously  some  of  our 
best  varieties  originate.  Moreover,  it  suggests  a  dilemma.  How  is  it  possi- 
ble that  an  Antwerp — one  of  the  most  tender  varieties — could  have  been 
the  parent  of  the  hardiest  known  raspberry  ?  How  could  a  sort  having 
every  characteristic  of  our  native  R.  Strigosus  spring  direct  from  R.  Idceus  ? 

I  have  been  familiar  with  the  Antwerps  all  my  life,  and  can  see  no  trace 
of  them  in  this  hardy  berry.  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller  writes  to  me,  "The  Turner 
is  a  true  native — R.  Strigosus"  \  and  Mr.  Charles  Downing  holds  the  same 
opinion.  Hence,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  there  was  a  native  variety 
among  the  plants  the  professor  obtained  from  the  East,  or  that  a  seed  of 
a  native  was  dropped  among  the  cedars  by  a  bird,  or  brought  thither  in 
the  roots  of  the  cedars.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Professor  Turner's  good  motives 
have  been  rewarded  and  he  has  given  the  public  an  excellent  raspberry. 

In  connection  with  this  subject,  Mr.  Fuller  added  the  following  fact, 
which  opens  to  the  amateur  a  very  interesting  field  for  experiment :  "  If 
there  is  any  doubt  in  regard  to  such  matters,  raise  a  few  seedlings  of  the 
variety,  and  if  it  is  a  cross  or  hybrid,  a  part  of  the  seedlings  will  revert 
back  to  each  parent,  or  so  near  them  that  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in 
determining  that  there  was  a  mixture  of  blood.  If  all  our  so-called  hybrid 
fruits  were  thus  tested,  we  would  then  know  more  of  their  true  parentage." 
In  the  sunny  laboratory  of  the  garden,  therefore,  Nature's  chemistry  will 
resolve  these  juicy  compounds  back  into  their  original  constituents. 

The  Highland  Hardy,  or  Native,  also  belongs  to  this  species,  and  is  quite 
a  favorite  still  in  some  localities  ;  but  it  has  had  its  day,  I  think.  Its  extreme 
earliness  has  made  it  profitable  in  some  regions ;  but  its  softness,  small  size 
and  wretched  flavor  should  banish  it  from  cultivation  as  soon  as  possible. 

There  are  others,  like  the  Thwack,  Pearl,  and  Bristol ;  they  are  but  second- 
rate,  being  inferior  in  most  regions  to  the  Brandy  wine,  which  they  resemble. 

In  my  opinion,  the  chief  value  of  R.  Strigosus  is  to  be  found  in  two 
facts.  In  the  first  place,  they  endure  the  severe  Northern  winters,  and — 
what  is  of  far  more  consequence — their  best  representatives  thrive  on 
light  soils,  and  their  tough  foliage  does  not  burn  under  the  hot  sun.  It 
thus  becomes  the  one  species  of  red  raspberry  that  can  be  raised  success- 
fully in  the  South,  and  from  it,  as  a  hardy  stock,  we  should  seek  to  develop 
the  raspberries  of  the  future. 
24 


CHAPTER   XXII. 


RUBUS   OCCIDENTALIS — BLACK-CAP   AND   PURPLE   CANE   RASPBERRIES. 


WE  now  turn  to  the  other  great  American  species — Rubus  Occi- 
dentalis — the  well-known  black- cap,  or  thimble  berry,  that  is  found 
along  almost  every  road- side  and  fence  in  the  land.  There  are  few 
little  people  who  have  not  stained  their  lips  and  fingers,  not  to  mention 
their  clothes,  with  this  homely  favorite.  I  can  recall  the  days  when,  to  the 
horror  of  the  laundress,  I  filled  my  pockets  with  the  juicy  caps.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  recall  its  long,  rambling,  purple  shoots,  its  light-green 
foliage,  silvery  on  the  under  side,  its  sharp  and  abundant  spines,  from  which 
we  have  received  many  a  vicious  scratch.  Its  cultivation  is  so  simple  that 
it  may  be  suggested  in  a  few  sentences.  It  does  not  produce  suckers,  like 
R.  Strigosus,  but  the  tips  of  the  drooping  branches  (Fig.  A)  root  them- 
selves in  the  soil  during  August  and  September,  forming  young  plants. 
These,  planted,  produce  a  vigorous  bush  the  first  year  that  b  irs  the  second 
season,  and  then  dies  down  to  the  perennial  root,  as  is  the  case  with  all  rasp- 
berries. Usually,  the  tips  of  the  young  canes  will  take  root,  if  left  to 
themselves,  unless  whipped  about  by  the  wind.  If  new  plants  in  abundance 
are  desired,  it  is  best  to  assist  nature,  however,  by  placing  a  little  earth  on 
the  tip  just  after  it  begins  to  enlarge  slightly,  thus  showing  it  is  ready  to 
take  root.  This  labor  is  quickly  performed  by  throwing  a  handful  or  two 
of  earth  on  the  tips  with  a  trowel.  The  tips  do  not  all  mature  for  propa- 
gation at  one  time  ;  therefore,  it  is  well  to  go  over  the  plantation  every  two 
weeks  after  the  middle  of  August,  and  cover  lightly  with  earth  only  such 

1 86 


Rubus  Occidentalis. 


as  are  enlarged.  If  cov- 
ered before  this  sign  of 
readiness  appears,  the  tip 
merely  decays.  If  a  va- 
riety is  very  scarce,  we 
may  cover  not  only  the 
tips,  but  also  much  of  the 
cane,  lightly — an  inch  or 
two — with  earth,  and 
each  bud  will  eventually 
make  a  plant.  This 
should  not  be  done,  how- 
ever, until  the  wood  is 
well  ripened,  /say  about 
the  first  of  October. 
Throw  a  few  leaves  over 
such  layered  canes  in 
November,  and  divide 
the  buds  and  roots  into 
separate  plants  early  in 
spring.  They  will  prob- 


Native  Raspberries  of  America.     (Rubus  Occidentalis.) 

ably  be  so  small   as   to   need   a  year   in   the   nursery  row.      Sometimes, 
after  the  first  tip   is  rooted,  buds  a  little  above  it  will  push  into  shoots 


1 88  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

which  also  will  root  themselves  with  slight  assistance,  as  in  Fig.  B, 
and  thus  the  number  of  new  plants  is  greatly  increased.  Spring  is 
by  far  the  best  time,  at  the  North,  for  planting  these  rooted  tips ;  but 
it  should  be  done  as  early  as  possible,  before  the  bud  (C)  has  started  into 
its  brittle,  succulent  growth.  At  the  South,  November  is  probably  the 
best  season  for  planting.  It  is  a  species  that  adapts  itself  to  most  soils, 
even  the  lightest,  and  endures  much  neglect.  At  the  same  time,  it 
responds  generously  to  good  culture  and  rigorous  pruning,  and,  if 
moisture  is  abundant,  the  yield  is  simply  enormous.  It  not  only  thrives 
far  to  the  north,  but  can  also  be  grown  farther  south  than  any  other 
class  of  raspberries. 

In  planting,  spread  out  the  roots  and  let  them  go  down  their  full 
length,  but  do  not  put  over  an  inch  or  two  of  soil  on  the  bud  from  which 
the  new  canes  are  to  spring.  Press  the  earth  firmly  around  this  bud,  but 
not  on  it.  Let  the  rows  be  six  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  three  feet  from 
each  other  in  the  row ;  at  this  distance,  2,400  will  be  required  for  an  acre. 
Summer  pinching  back  will  transform  these  sprawling,  drooping  canes  into 
compact,  stocky  bushes,  or  ornamental  shrubs  that  in  sheltered  locations 
will  be  self-supporting.  Clean  culture,  and,  as  the  plantation  grows 
older,  higher  stimulation,  greatly  enhance  success.  After  the  plants 
begin  to  show  signs  of  age  and  feebleness,  it  is  best  to  set  out  young 
plants  on  new  ground. 

The  varieties  of  this  species  are  almost  innumerable,  since  seedlings 
come  up  by  the  million  every  year;  but  the  differences  between  the 
majority  of  them  are  usually  very  slight.  There  are  four  kinds,  however, 
that  have  won  honorable  distinction  and  just  popularity.  The  earliest  of 
these  is  Davidson's  Thornless,  said  to  have  originated  in  the  garden  of 
Mrs.  Mercy  Davidson,  Towanda,  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.  It  is  nothing  like  so 
vigorous  a  grower  as  the  other  three  varieties ;  but  the  sweetness  of  the 
fruit  and  the  freedom  from  thorns  make  it  desirable  for  the  home  garden. 
Unless  high  culture  or  moist  soil  is  given,  I  do  not  recommend  it  for 
market. 

Next  in  order  of  ripening  is  the  Doolittle,  or  American  Improved, 
found  growing  wild,  about  thirty-five  years  since,  by  Leander  Joslyn,  of 
Phelps,  Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  introduced  by  Mr.  H.  H.  Doolittle.  This, 
hitherto,  has  been  the  most  popular  of  all  the  species,  and  thousands  of 
bushels  are  annually  raised  for  market.  The  plant  is  exceedingly 
vigorous,  producing  strong,  branching  canes  that  literally  cover  them- 
selves with  fruit.  I  have  seen  long  rows  fairly  black  with  caps.  Perhaps 
it  should  be  stated  that  the  thorns  are  vigorous,  also. 


Black- Cap  and  Purple  Cane  Raspberries.  189 

Latest  in  ripening  is  the  Mammoth  Cluster,  or  McCormick,  which, 
thus  far,  has  been  my  favorite.  It  is  even  more  vigorous  than  the 
preceding,  but  not  so  briery  or  branching.  The  fruit  is  produced  usually 
in  a  thick  cluster  or  bunch  at  the  end  of  the  branch,  and  they  ripen  more 
together  than  the  other  kinds.  The  caps,  too,  are  much  larger,  more 
juicy  and  fine-flavored.  One  is  less  conscious  of  the  seeds.  Between 
the  thumb  and  finger  you  can  often  gather  a  handful  from  a  single  spray, 
it  is  so  prodigiously  productive.  Thus  far,  it  has  been  unsurpassed,  either 
for  home  use  or  market ;  but  now  it  is  encountering  a  rival  in  the 

Gregg,  a  new  variety,  that  is  attracting  much  attention.  Its  history, 
as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn  it,  is  as  follows : 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  1866,  this  black  raspberry  was  found 
growing  wild  in  a  ravine  on  the  Gregg  farm,  which  is  located  in  Ohio 
Co.,  Indiana.  The  original  bush  "was  bending  under  the  weight  of 
colossal- sized  clusters.  It  was  then  a  single  clump,  surrounded  by  a  few 
young  plants  growing  from  its  tips.  Before  introducing  it  to  the  public, 
we  gave  it  a  most  thorough  and  complete  trial.  We  have  put  it  on  the 
tables  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  horticultural  societies,  and  by  each 
it  has  been  voted  the  highest  rank  in  their  fruit  lists.  At  the  Centennial 
Exposition,  at  Philadelphia,  in  competition  with  all  the  prominent  varieties 
in  the  world,  it  was  ranked  highest  by  the  judges.  During  eleven  years 
of  observation  it  has  survived  the  coldest  winters,  and  never  failed  to 
yield  an  abundant  crop.  It  is  a  vigorous,  rapid  grower,  producing  strong, 
well-matured  canes  by  fall.  The  fruit  is  beautiful  in  appearance,  delicious, 
possessing  excellent  shipping  and  keeping  qualities." 

The  above  is  a  mild  and  condensed  statement  of  its  claims,  as  set 
forth  by  Messrs.  R.  &  P.  Gregg,  proprietors  of  the  Gregg  farm,  and  I 
believe  these  gentlemen  have  given  a  correct  account  of  their  experience. 
As  the  result  of  much  inquiry,  it  would  appear  that  this  variety  is  also 
doing  well  throughout  the  country  at  large. 

Mr.  N.  Ohmer,  who  has  been  most  prominent  in  introducing  the 
Gregg,  gives  the  following  account  of  his  first  acquaintance  with  it :  "  At 
a  meeting  of  the  Indiana  State  Horticultural  Society,  held  at  Indianapolis, 
a  gentleman  asked  for  the  privilege  of  making  some  remarks  about  a  new 
black  raspberry  that  he  was  cultivating.  Being  pretty  long-winded,  as 
most  lawyers  are,  he  spoke  so  long,  and  said  so  much  in  favor  of  his 
berry,  that  no  one  believed  him,  and  were  glad  when  he  got  through. 
The  summer  following,  I  chanced  to  call  on  the  Secretary  of  the  Indiana 
State  Board  of  Agriculture,  in  the  Capitol  building,  and  was  surprised 
to  see  on  his  table  about  half  a  peck  of  berries  and  an  armful  of  canes 


190  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

loaded  with  the  largest,  handsomest  and  best  black  raspberries  I  had  ever 
seen.  Mr.  Herron,  the  Secretary,  informed  me  that  they  were  grown  by 
Messrs.  R.  &  P.  Gregg.  I  obtained  two  hundred  plants,  a  few  of  which 
bore  fruit  so  fine,  the  following  season,  that  all  who  saw  it  wanted  plants." 
It  was  learned  that  Mr.  Gregg  was  the  lawyer  who  was  thought  "  long- 
winded,"  and  many  who  then  yawned  have  since  thought,  no  doubt,  that 
they  might  have  listened  with  much  profit,  for  the  demand  for  the  plants 
has  become  greater  than  the  supply.  Only  time  can  show  whether  the 
Gregg  is  to  supersede  the  Mammoth  Cluster.  I  observe  that  veteran 
fruit  growers  are  very  conservative,  and  by  no  means  hasty  to  give  a 
new-comer  the  place  that  a  fine  old  variety  has  won  by  years  of  excel- 
lence in  nearly  all  diversities  of  soil  and  climate.  The  Gregg  certainly 
promises  remarkably  well,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Meehan,  editor  of  the 
Gardener's  Monthly,  who  is  well  known  to  be  exceedingly  careful  and 
conscientious  in  indorsing  new  fruits,  writes :  "  We  believe  this  variety 
is  generally  larger  than  any  other  of  its  kind  yet  known." 

There  are  many  other  candidates  for  favor,  but  thus  far  they  are 
untried,  or  have  not  proved  themselves  equal  to  the  kinds  I  have  named. 

Quite  a  distinct  branch  of  R.  Occidentalis  is  the  Purple  Cane  family, — 
so  named,  I  think,  from  the  purple  cane  raspberry  that  was  so  well 
known  in  old  gardens  a  few  years  ago,  but  since  it  has  been  superseded 
by  better  kinds  is  now  fast  passing  out  of  cultivation.  It  almost  took 
care  of  itself  in  our  home  garden  for  forty  years  or  more,  and  its  soft, 
small  berries  would  melt  in  one's  mouth.  Its  canes  were  smooth  and  its 
fruit  of  a  dusky-red  color.  In  other  respects,  it  resembles  the  black-cap 
tribe. 

The  Catawissa,  found  growing  in  a  Pennsylvania  grave-yard,  is 
another  berry  of  this  class,  which  produces  a  second  crop  in  autumn. 
It  is  tender  in  the  Northern  States,  and  has  never  become  popular. 

The  Philadelphia  is  the  best  known  of  the  class,  and  at  one  time  was 
immensely  popular.  Its  canes  are  smooth,  stout,  erect  in  growth,  and 
enormously  productive  of  medium-sized,  round,  dusky-re^  berries  of 
very  poor  flavor.  It  throve  so  well  on  the  light  soils  about  Philadel- 
phia, that  it  was  heralded  to  the  skies,  and  the  plants  sold  at  one  time 
as  high  as  $40  per  100,  but  the  inferior  flavor  and  unattractive  appear- 
ance of  the  fruit  caused  it  to  decline  steadily  in  favor,  and  now  it  has 
but  few  friends.  Unlike  others  of  its  class,  it  does  not  root  from  the  tips, 
but  propagates  itself  by  suckers,  producing  them  sparingly,  however. 
When  it  was  in  such  great  demand,  the  nurserymen  increased  it  by 
root  cuttings,  forced  under  glass. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


THE  RASPBERRIES  OF  THE  FUTURE. 


WE  now  come  to  a  class  that  are  destined,  I  think,  to  be  the 
raspberries  of  the  future,  or,  at  least,  a  type  of  them.  I  refer  to 
seedlings  of  the  three  original  species  that  have  been  described.  As  a  rule 
(having  exceptions  of  course),  these  native  seedling  varieties  are  compara- 
tively hardy,  and  adapted  to  the  climate  of  America.  This  adaptation 
applies  to  the  South,  in  the  proportion  that  they  possess  the  qualities  of 
the  Rubus  Strigosus  or  Occidentalis.  To  the  degree  that  the  foreign  ele- 
ment of  R.  Idceus  exists,  they  will,  with  a  few  exceptions,  require  winter 
protection,  and  will  be  unable  to  thrive  in  light  soils  and  under  hot  suns. 
Forgetfulness  of  this  principle  is  often  the  cause  of  much  misapprehension 
and  undiscriminating  censure.  I  have  known  certain  New  Jersey  fruit 
growers  to  condemn  a  variety  unsparingly.  Would  it  not  be  more 
sensible  to  say  it  belongs  to  the  R.  Idceus  class,  and,  therefore,  is  not  adapted 
to  our  climate  and  light  soil,  but  in  higher  latitudes  and  on  heavy  land 
it  may  prove  one  of  the  best  ? 

It  should  here  be  premised  that  these  seedlings  originated  in  this 
country.  Perhaps  they  are  the  product  solely  of  our  native  species,  or 
they  may  result  from  crossing  varieties  of  R.  Idceus,  in  which  case  they  will 
exhibit  the  characteristics  of  the  foreign  species ;  or,  finally,  from  the 
foreign  and  our  native  species  may  be  produced  a  hybrid  that  will  combine 
traits  of  each  line  of  its  lineage.  A  conspicuous  example  of  the  second 
statement  may  be  seen  in  Brinkle's  Orange,  originated  by  Dr.  Brinkle 


192  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

many  years  ago.  It  is  essentially  an  Antwerp  in  character,  and  yet  it  is 
more  vigorous,  and  adapted  to  a  wider  range  of  country  than  the  Antwerp. 
The  berry  is  of  a  beautiful  buff  color,  and  its  delicious  flavor  is  the  accepted 
standard  of  excellence.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  well  known  that  it  will  not 
thrive  under  hot  suns  or  upon  light  land.  It  can  be  raised  south  of  New 
York  only  in  cool,  moist  soils,  and  in  half-shady  locations  ;  but  at  the 
north,  where  the  conditions  of  growth  are  favorable,  it  produces  strong 
branching  canes,  covered  with  white  spines,  and  is  exceedingly  productive 
of  large,  light-colored  berries  that  melt  on  the  tongue.  There  is  the  same 
difference  between  it  and  the  Brandywine  that  exists  between  Stowell's 
Evergreen  and  flint  field  corn.  It  invariably  requires  winter  protection. 

The  Pride  of  the  Hudson  possesses  the  same  general  character  as  the 
Orange,  and  approaches  it  very  nearly  in  excellence.  It  certainly  is  the 
largest,  most  beautiful  red  raspberry  now  before  the  public ;  but  in  its  later 
development  it  has  shown  such  sensitiveness  to  both  heat  and  cold  that  I 
cannot  recommend  it  for  general  cultivation.  Give  it  a  moist  soil  and 
a  half-shady  location,  such  as  may  be  found  on  the  northern  side  of  a  fence 
or  hedge,  and  it  will  become  the  pride  of  any  northern  garden ;  but  in  the 
South,  and  on  light  soils,  it  can  scarcely  live.  It  should  have  winter 
protection. 

In  contrast  with  these  native  berries  of  foreign  parentage,  we  have  the 
Herstine;  Mr.  B.  K.  Bliss,  the  well-known  seedsman  of  New  York  city, 
kindly  furnishes  me  the  following  facts  of  its  history :  "  About  ten  years 
since  I  was  invited,  with  several  gentlemen  (mostly  horticulturists),  to  visit 
the  late  Mr.  Herstine,  .at  Philadelphia.  We  were  to  examine  a  lot  of 
seedling  raspberries,  and  select  names  for  those  that  we  thought  worthy  of 
general  cultivation.  We  found  quite  a  company  there  from  the  vicinity  of 
Philadelphia  and  from  Washington,  while  New  York  was  represented  by 
such  eminent  authorities  as  Dr.  Thurber  and  A.  S.  Fuller.  The  raspberry 
bushes  were  completely  loaded  with  large,  fine  fruit, — the  finest  I  ever 
saw.  Each  variety  was  carefully  examined,  and  the  guests  voted  as  to 
which,  in  his  opinion,  was  the  best.  The  Herstine  stood  r'irst,  and  the 
Saunders  second.  Mr.  Herstine  explained  that  they  were  raised  from  the 
Allen  raspberry,  which  had  been  planted  in  alternate  rows  with  the 
Philadelphia."  This  parentage  would  make  it  a  hybrid  of  the  R.  Strigosus 
and  the  purple  cane  branch  of  the  R.  Occidentalis  species ;  but  the  plant 
and  fruit  indicate  the  presence,  also,  of  the  R.  Idczus  element.  After 
several  years'  experience  on  my  own  place,  I  regard  it  as  the  best  early 
raspberry  in  existence.  The  berry  is  large,  obtusely  conical,  bright  red, 
and  delicious  in  flavor.  It  is  scarcely  firm  enough  for  market  where  it 


The  Raspberries  of  the  Future.  \  9  3 

must  be  sent  any  great  distance,  but  if  picked  promptly  after  it  reddens, 
and  packed  in  a  cool,  airy  place,  like  that  under  my  northern  piazza, 
suggested  in  the  engraving,  it  carries  well  and  brings  good  prices.  The 

canes       are 
strong,     red, 
stocky    and 
covered    with 
spines.    They 
are  but  half-hardy,  and 
I    think   it   is   best  to 
cover  them  before  the 
first    of    December,    in    our 
latitude.     The  canes    of  the 
Saunders,  also    sent   out  by 
Mr.     Herstine,     are      much 


The  Herstine  Raspberry.  A  Cool  Packing-Place. 

darker  in  color,  and  not  so  vigorous,  but  sufficiently  so.  The  berries  are 
large,  ripen  later,  are  more  globular,  and  are  of  the  same  excellent  quality. 
It  deserves  greater  popularity  than  it  has  received.  It  is,  also,  only  half- 
hardy. 

25 


194  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

In  the  Clarke,  we  undoubtedly  have  a  variety  containing  considerable 
of  the  R.  Idczus  element.  The  berries  are  often  very  large,  bright  crimson, 
conical,  with  large,  hairy  grains.  Occasionally,  the  fruit  on  my  vines  was 
very  imperfect,  and  crumbled  badly  in  picking.  I  found  that  by  cutting 
the  canes  rigorously  back — even  one-half — I  obtained  much  larger  and 
more  perfect  berries,  and  in  increased  quantities.  The  canes  are  very 
strong,  upright  growers,  ending  usually  in  a  thick  tuft  of  foliage,  rather 
than  in  long,  drooping  tips.  It  was  originated  by  Mr.  E.  E.  Clarke,  of 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  is  but  half-hardy. 

In  the  New  Rochelle,  we  have  a  hybrid  of  the  black-cap  and 
red  raspberry,  the  R.  Occidentalis  element  predominating,  and  mani- 
festing itself  in  the  stocky  and  branching  character  of  the  canes,  and  in  the 
fact  that  they  propagate  themselves  by  tips,  and  not  suckers.  The  New 
Rochelle,  originated  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Carpenter,  of  Rye,  N.  Y.,  is  perhaps  the 
best  of  this  class.  It  is  very  vigorous,  hardy  and  enormously  productive, 
and  the  fruit  is  of  good  size.  I  do  not  like  its  sharp  acid,  how- 
ever, and  its  dun  or  dusky-brown  color  will  probably  prevent  it  from 
becoming  a  favorite  in  market,  since  bright-hued  berries  are  justly 
much  preferred. 

But  Mr.  Carpenter  has  sent  out  another  seedling  which,  I  think,  is 
destined  to  have  a  brilliant  future  —  the  Caroline.  It  is  thought  to  be  a 
cross  between  the  Catawissa  and  Brinkle's  Orange.  The  canes  are  per- 
fectly hardy,  very  strong,  vigorous,  branching,  light-red,  with  a  lighter 
bloom  upon  them  here  and  there.  It  suckers  freely,  and  also  propagates 
itself  sparingly  from  the  tips.  The  fruit  is  exceedingly  abundant  and  is 
a  round  cap  of  a  beautiful  buff  color,  almost  equaling  Brinkle's  Orange  in 
flavor.  I  think  it  will  grow  anywhere,  and  thus  will  find  a  place  in 
innumerable  gardens  where  the  Orange  does  not  thrive.  At  the  same 
time,  it  is  good  enough  for  any  garden. 

The  Ganargua  was  said  to  be  a  hybrid,  but  Mr.  J.  J.  Thomas  writes  to 
me  :  "  I  have  never  been  able  to  discover  proof  that  it  is  one.  I  think  it 
all  R.  Occidentalis — a  variety." 

The  Reliance,  a  seedling  of  the  Philadelphia,  but  far  superior  to  it, 
is  doing  remarkably  well  on  my  place,  and  I  hear  favorable  accounts 
from  other  localities. 

There  are  many  others  that  are  either  old  and  passing  into  obscurity 
or  else  so  new  and  dubious  in  character  that  limited  space  forbids  their 
mention.  We  will  close  this  sketch  of  varieties  with  the  Cuthbert, 
which  that  experienced  and  careful  horticulturist,  Dr.  Hexamer,  calls  the 
"best  raspberry  now  in  existence." 


The  Raspberries  of  the  Future.  195 

This  is  a  chance  seedling,  which  the  late  Thomas  Outhbert  found  in 
his  garden,  at  Riverdale,  N.  Y.  His  son  has  kindly  furnished  the  fol- 
lowing facts :  "  The  raspberry  in  question  was  discovered  by  my  father 
about  eleven  years  ago  in  the  garden  of  our  country  seat  at  Riverdale- 
on- the- Hudson.  It  is  probably  a  seedling  of  the  Hudson  River  Antwerp, 
as  it  was  found  growing  near  the  edge  of  a  patch  of  that  variety,  but 
its  great  vigor  of  growth  and  the  size  and  quality  of  the  fruit  marked 
it  at  once  as  a  new  and  distinct  kind.  Its  canes  were  carefully  separated 
from  the  others  and  a  small  plantation  made  of  them.  The  next  year, 
and  from  time  to  time  since,  plants  were  given  to  our  friends  in  various 
parts  of  the  State  for  trial.  Without  exception,  their  reports  have  been 
favorable,  particular  mention  having  been  made  of  their  unusual  vigor 
of  growth,  their  hardiness,  and  the  firmness  and  good  keeping  qualities 
of  the  fruit.  The  first  year  or  so  we  gave  the  canes  winter  protection, 
but  finding  that  it  was  unnecessary,  we  have  discontinued  it,  and  I  have 
never  heard  of  the  canes  being  winter-killed." 

From  other  sources  I  learn  that  Mr.  Cuthbert  made  an  arrange- 
ment with  a  nurseryman  by  the  name  of  Thompson,  to  propagate  and 
send  out  the  variety.  This  gentleman  dying  soon  after,  the  stock  came 
into  the  possession  of  Mr.  H.  J.  Corson,  of  Staten  Island,  N.  Y.,  and 
by  him  and  Mr.  I.  J.  Simonson,  a  florist,  the  plants  have  been  sent  out 
to  different  parts  of  the  country.  This  dissemination  was  very  limited, 
and  was  characterized  by  an  almost  utter  absence  of  heralding  and 
extravagant  praise.  The  berry  has  literally  made  its  way  on  its  own 
merits.  Dr.  Hexamer  remarked  to  me  that  he  had  had  it  for  years,  and 
had  wondered  why  its  merits  were  so  overlooked.  My  attention  was  called 
to  it  in  the  summer  of  1878,  and  I  took  pains  to  see  it  in  several 
localities.  The  large  size  of  the  berries,  their  firmness  and  fine  flavor,  con- 
vinced me  that  it  was  very  valuable,  and  the  fact  that  I  found  it  flourish- 
ing luxuriantly  on  New  Jersey  sand,  and  maintaining  a  perfectly  healthful 
foliage  under  an  August  sun,  led  me  to  believe  that  we  had  at  last  found 
a  first-class  variety  that  would  thrive  on  light  soils  and  under  hot  suns. 

The  late  W.  C.  Bryant,  the  poet,  himself  well  versed  in  horticulture, 
closed  a  letter  to  me  with  the  following  words: 

"  It  has  always  seemed  to  me  a  scandal  to  our  horticulture  that  in  a  region 
where  the  raspberry  grows  wild,  we  should  not  have  a  sort  that  would  resist  both  the 
winter  cold  and  summer  heat,  and  produce  abundantly." 

After  another  year  of  observation  and  of  much  correspondence,  extend- 
ing even  to  California,  I  am  convinced  that  the  Cuthbert  does  "  resist  both 


196  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

the  winter  cold  and  summer  heat,  and  produce  abundantly,"  far  better  than 
any  other  raspberry  that  equals  it  in  size  and  flavor.  The  artist  has  given 
us  an  accurate  portrait  of  the  fruit,  which,  although  so  large,  has  the  pecul- 
iar indentation  of  the  grains  and  other  characteristics  of  the  R.  Strigosus, 
showing  that  its  constitution  is  derived  mainly  from  our  sturdy  native 
species.  The  canes  are  strong,  upright,  branching,  if  space  permits, 
reddish-brown,  spines  abundant,  but  not  very  long  and  harsh.  It  is  a 
rampant  grower  on  good  soil,  but  the  foliage,  so  far  from  being  rank  and 
large,  is  delicate,  and  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  has  a  light,  silvery  hue. 
After  once  getting  hold  of  the  soil,  it  suckers  immoderately,  but  is  no  worse 
in  this  respect  than  other  vigorous  varieties;  and  this  tendency  rapidly 
declines  after  the  second  year.  Is  it  perfectly  hardy  ?  No  ;  and  I  do  not 
know  of  a  single  good  raspberry  that  is;  except,  perhaps,  the  Turner, 
which,  however,  is  inferior  to  the  Cuthbert.  I  have  seen  the  latter  badly 
winter-killed,  but  it  had  stood  eight  years  on  the  same  ground  without 
injury  before.  Then,  because  of  a  rank  growth  late  in  the  season,  that 
especial  patch  was  hit  hard,  while  other  fields,  but  a  few  miles  away,  were 
unharmed.  If  planted  on  well-drained  soil,  where  the  wood  could  ripen 
well,  I  think  it  would  be  injured  very  rarely,  if  ever ;  but  I  have  no  faith  in 
talk  about  "perfectly  hardy  raspberries."  Those  who  observe  closely  will 
often  find  our  hardy  native  species  killed  to  the  ground,  and  I  think  many 
varieties  suffer  more  from  the  mild,  variable  winters  of  the  Middle  States 
than  from  the  steady  cold  and  snowy  winters  of  the  North.  Moreover,  any 
variety  that  has  not  the  power  of  maintaining  a  healthy  foliage  through  the 
hot  season  will  usually  be  too  feeble  to  resist  the  winter  following.  The 
question  of  hardiness  can  often  be  settled  better  in  August  than  in  January. 
One  of  the  most  hopeful  features  of  the  Cuthbert,  therefore,  is  its  tough, 
sun-enduring  foliage,  which  enables  the  wood  to  ripen  perfectly.  It  has 
never  received  winter  protection  thus  far,  either  in  this  region  or  in  Michi- 
gan, where  it  is  largely  raised,  but  it  may  be  found  necessary  to  shield  it 
somewhat  in  some  localities.  It  is  both  absurd  and  dishonest  to  claim  per- 
fection for  a  fruit,  and  the  Cuthbert,  especially  as  it  grows  o1-  ier  and  loses 
something  of  its  pristine  vigor,  will,  probably,  like  all  other  varieties, 
develop  faults  and  weaknesses.  We  cannot  too  much  deprecate  the  arro- 
gant spirit  often  manifested  in  introducing  new  fruits.  Interested  parties 
insist  on  boundless  praise,  and,  if  their  advice  were  followed,  the  fine  old 
standards  would  be  plowed  out  to  make  room  for  a  new-comer  that  often 
proves,  on  trial,  little  better  than  a  weed.  The  Cuthbert  is  not  exactly  a 
novelty.  Through  the  gifts  of  the  originator,  and  sales  running  through 
several  years,  it  has  become  widely  scattered,  and  has  proved  a  success  in 


The  Raspberries  of  the  Future. 


197 


Cuthbert  Raspberry. 


Nooning  under  the  Trees. 


198  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

every  instance,  as  far  as  I  can  learn.  I  show  my  faith  in  it  by  my  works, 
for  I  am  setting  it  out  more  largely  than  all  other  kinds  together,  even 
going  so  far  as  to  rent  land  for  the  purpose.  I  am  satisfied,  from  frequent 
inquiries  in  Washington  Market,  that  it  will  take  the  lead  of  all  others,  and 
it  is  so  firm  that  it  can  be  shipped  by  rail,  like  a  Wilson  strawberry. 

In  Delaware  and  Southern  New  Jersey,  a  variety  named  "  Queen  of 
the  Market  "  is  being  largely  set  out.  I  have  this  variety  in  my  specimen- 
bed,  side  by  side  with  plants  that  came  from  Thomas  Cuthbert's  garden, 
and  am  almost  satisfied  that  they  are  identical,  and  that  Queen  of  the 
Market  is  but  a  synonym  of  the  Cuthbert.  I  have  placed  the  canes  and 
spines  of  each  under  a  powerful  microscope  and  can  detect  no  differences, 
and  the  fruit  also  appeared  so  much  alike  that  I  could  not  see  wherein  it 
varied.  Plants  of  this  variety  were  sent  to  Delaware  some  years  since, 
as  they  were  to  Michigan  and  California,  and,  wherever  tested,  they  seem 
to  win  strong  and  immediate  favor.  Its  chief  fault  in  this  locality  is  its 
lateness. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 


BLACKBERRIES — VARIETIES,    CULTIVATION,   ETC. 


r  I AHE  small-fruit  branch  of  the  rose  family  is  assuredly  entitled  to 
-L  respect  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  blackberry  is  the  blackest 
sheep  in  it.  Unlike  the  raspberry,  the  drupes  cling  to  the  receptacle, 
which  falls  off  with  them  when  mature,  and  forms  the  hard,  disagreeable 
core  when  the  berry  is  black,  but  often  only  half  ripe.  The  bush  is,  in  truth, 
what  the  ancients  called  it, — a  bramble,  and  one  of  our  Highland  wild- 
cats could  scarcely  scratch  more  viciously  than  it,  if  treated  too  familiarly ; 
but,  with  judicious  respect  and  good  management,  it  will  yield  berries  as 
large  and  beautiful  as  those  on  the  Kittatinny  spray  portrayed,  the  original 
of  which  ripened  in  my  garden  last  summer. 

It  would  seem  that  Nature  had  given  her  mind  more  to  blackberries 
than  to  strawberries,  for,  instead  of  merely  five,  she  has  scattered  about 
150  species  up  and  down  the  globe.  To  describe  all  these  would  be  a 
thorny  experience  indeed,  robbing  the  reader  of  his  patience  as  com- 
pletely as  he  would  be  bereft  of  his  clothing,  should  he  literally  attempt 
to  go  through  them  all.  Therefore,  I  shall  give  Professor  Gray's  descrip- 
tion of  the  two  species  which  have  furnished  our  few  really  good  varieties, 
and  dismiss  with  mere  mention  a  few  other  species. 

"  Rubus  Villosus,  High  Blackberry.  Everywhere  along  thickets,  fence-rows, 
etc.,  and  several  varieties  cultivated;  stems  one  to  six  feet  high,  furrowed;  prickles 
strong  and  hooked ;  leaflets  three  to  five,  ovate  or  lance-ovate,  pointed,  their  lower 


2OO  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

surface  and  stalks  hairy  and  glandular,  the  middle  one  long-stalked  and  sometimes 
heart-shaped ;  flowers  racemed,  rather  large,  with  short  bracts ;  fruit  oblong  or 
cylindrical. 

"  R.  Canade'nsis,  Low  Blackberry  or  Dewberry.  Rocky  and  sandy  soil ;  long 
trailing,  slightly  prickly,  smooth  or  smoothish,  and  with  three  to  seven  smaller 
leaflets  than  in  the  foregoing,  the  racemes  of  flowers  with  more  leaf-like  bracts,  the 
fruit  of  fewer  grains  and  ripening  earlier." 

The  R.  Cuneifolius,  or  Sand  Blackberry,  is  common  in  the  sandy 
ground  and  barrens  from  New  Jersey  southward  ;  the  R.  Trivialis,  Southern 
Low  Blackberry,  is  found  in  light  soils  from  Virginia  southward  ;  the  R. 
Hispidus  is  a  Running  Swamp  Blackberry  whose  long,  slender  stems 
creep  through  low,  damp  woods  and  marshes ;  the  R.  Spectabilis 
produces  purple  solitary  flowers,  and  grows  on  the  banks  of  the 
Columbia  River  in  the  far  North-West.  Whatever  improvements  may 
originate  from  these  species  in  the  future,  they  have  not  as  yet,  to  my 
knowledge,  given  us  any  fine  cultivated  variety. 

R.  Fruticosus  is  the  best-known  European  species,  but  neither  has  it, 
as  far  as  I  can  discover,  been  the  source  of  any  varieties  worthy  of  favor. 
It  is  said  to  have  a  peculiar  flavor,  that  produces  satiety  at  once.  The 
blackberry,  therefore,  is  exceptional,  in  that  we  have  no  fine  foreign 
varieties,  and  Mr.  Fuller  writes  that  he  cannot  find  "  any  practical  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  their  culture  in  any  European  work  on  gardening." 

The  "  bramble  "  is  quite  fully  treated  in  Mr.  R.  Thompson's  valuable 
English  work,  but  I  find  little  to  interest  the  American  reader.  He 
suggests  that  the  several  native  species  that  he  describes  are  capable  of 
great  improvement,  but  I  cannot  learn  that  such  effort  has  ever  been  made 
successfully.  I  do  not  know  of  any  reason  why  our  fine  varieties  will  not 
thrive  abroad,  under  conditions  that  accord  with  their  nature. 

In  America  there  are  innumerable  varieties,  since  Nature  produces  wild 
seedlings  on  every  hill-side,  and  not  a  few  seeds  have  been  planted  by  horti- 
culturists, in  the  hope  of  originating  a  prize  berry.  Nature  appears  to 
have  had  the  better  fortune,  thus  far,  for  our  best  variei;  s  are  chance 
seedlings,  found  growing  wild. 

It  is  not  so  many  years  since  the  blackberry  was  regarded  as  merely  a 
bramble  in  this  country,  as  it  now  is  abroad,  and  people  were  content  with 
such  fruit  as  the  woods  and  fields  furnished.  Even  still,  in  some  localities, 
this  supply  is  so  abundant  as  to  make  the  culture  of  the  blackberry 
unprofitable.  But,  a  number  of  years  since,  Mr.  Lewis  A.  Seacor  led  to 
better  things,  by  observing  on  the  road-side,  in  the  town  of  New  Rochelle, 
Westchester  county,  New  York,  a  bush  flourishing  where  Nature  had 


Blackberries —  Varieties,  Cultivation,  Etc. 


2OI 


planted  it.  This  variety  took  kindly  to  civilization,  and  has  done  more  to 
introduce  this  fruit  to  the  garden  than  all  other  kinds  together.  Mr.  Donald 
G.  Mitchell,  in  his  breezy  out-of-door  book,  "My  Farm  at  Edgewood," 
gives  its  characteristics  so  admirably  that  I  am  tempted  to  quote  him : 


Gathering  Wild  Blackberries. 

"  The  New  Rochelle  or  Lawton  Blackberry  has  been  despitefully  spoken  of  by 

'•  many ;  first,  because  the  market  fruit  is  generally  bad,  being  plucked  before  it  is 

i  fully  ripened ;  and  next,  because,  in  rich,  clayey  grounds,  the  briars,  unless  severely 

cut  back,  grow  into  a  tangled,  unapproachable  forest,  with  all  the  juices  exhausted 

i  in  wood.     But  upon  a  soil  moderately  rich,  a  little  gravelly  and  warm,  protected  from 

;  winds,  served  with  occasional  top-dressings  and  good  hoeings,  the  Lawton  bears 

;  magnificent  burdens.     Even  then,  if  you  wish  to  enjoy  the  richness  of  the  fruit,  you 

I  must  not  be  hasty  to  pluck  it.     When  the  children  say,  with  a  shout,  '  The  black- 

\  berries  are  ripe ! '  I  know  they  are  black  only,  and  I  can  wait.     When  the  children 

report, '  The  birds  are  eating  the  berries ! '  I  know  I  can  wait.     But  when  they  say, 

*  The  bees  are  on  the  berries ! '  I  know  they  are  at  their  ripest.     Then,  with  baskets, 

we  sally  out ;  I  taking  the  middle  rank,  and  the  children  the  outer  spray  of  boughs. 

Even  now  we  gather  those  only  which  drop  at  the  touch;  these,  in  a  brimming 

saucer,  with  golden  Alderney  cream  and  a  soupcon  of  powdered  sugar,  are  Olympian 

nectar ;  they  melt  before  the  tongue  can  measure  their  full  roundness,  and  seem  to 

be  mere  bloated  bubbles  of  forest  honey." 

Notwithstanding  this  eloquent  plea  and  truthful  statement,  the  Lawton 
is  decidedly  on  the  wane.  It  is  so  liable  to  be  winter-killed,  even  with  best 
of  care,  and  its  fruit  is  so  unpalatable,  in  its  half-ripe  condition,  that  it  has 

26 


202 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


given  place  to  a  more  successful  rival — the  Kittatinny — discovered  in 
Warren  county,  N.  J.,  growing  in  a  forest,  near  the  mountains,  whose 
Indian  name  has  become  a  household  word  from  association  with  this 
most  delicious  fruit.  Mr.  Wolverton,  in  finding  it,  has  done  more  for 
the  world  than  if  he  had  opened  a  gold  mine.  Under  good  culture,  the 


fruit  is  very  large,  as  shown  in  the 
engraving ;  sweet,  rich  and  melting, 
when  fully  ripe,  but  rather  sour 
and  hard  when  immature.  It 
reaches  its  best  condition  if  allowed 
to  ripen  fully  on  the  /ines;  but  the 
majority  of  pickers  use  their  hands 
only,  and  no  more  think  of  making 
nice  discriminations  than  of  questioning  nature  according  to  the  Baconian 
method.  They  gather  all  that  are  black,  or  nearly  so  ;  but  if  this  half- ripe 
fruit  is  allowed  to  stand  in  some  cool,  dry  place  for  about  twelve  hours, 
Kittatinny  berries  may  be  had  possessing  nearly  all  their  luscious  qualities. 
The  plant  is  an  upright  and  very  vigorous  grower,  exceedingly  productive 
if  soil  and  culture  are  suitable.  Its  leaves  are  long-pointed,  "  finely  and 


Kittatinny  Blackberry. 


Blackberries — Varieties,  Cultivation,  Etc.  203 

unevenly  serrate."  The  season  of  fruiting  is  medium,  continuing  from  four 
to  six  weeks,  if  moisture  is  maintained.  Both  of  these  varieties  are  derived 
from  the  Rubus  Villosus  species. 

In  contrast,  is  the  next  best-known  sort — Wilson's  Early — having  many 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  Dewberry,  or  running  blackberry,  and,  there- 
fore, representing  the  second  species  described  R.  Canadensis.  Whether 
it  is  merely  a  sport  from  this  species,  or  a  hybrid  between  it  and  the  first- 
named  or  high  blackberry,  cannot  be  accurately  known,  I  imagine ;  for,  it 
also  was  found  growing  wild  by  Mr.  John  Wilson,  of  Burlington,  N.  J. 
Under  high  culture,  and  with  increasing  age,  the  plants  become  quite  erect 
and  stocky  growers,  but  the  ends  of  the  cane  are  drooping.  Frequently, 
they  trail  along  the  ground,  and  root  at  the  tips,  like  the  common 
Dewberry,  and  they  rarely  grow  so  stocky  but  that  they  can  be  bent 
over  covered  with  earth  or  litter,  as  is  the  case  with  the  tender  raspberries. 
It  is  well  that  this  is  possible,  for  it  has  so  little  power  of  resisting  frost  that  a 
winter-  of  ordinary  severity  kills  the  canes  in  the  latitude  of  New  York.  I 
have  always  covered  mine,  and  thus  secured,  at  slight  expense,  a  sure  and 
abundant  crop.  The  fruit  is  earlier  than  the  Kittatinny,  and  tends  to  ripen 
altogether  in  about  ten  days.  These  advantages,  with  its  large  size  and 
firmness,  make  it  a  valuable  market  berry  in  New  Jersey,  where  hundreds 
of  acres  of  it  have  been  planted,  and  where  it  is  still  very  popular. 
Throughout  the  North  and  West,  it  has  been  found  too  tender  for  cultiva- 
tion, unless  protected.  In  flavor,  it  is  inferior  to  the  Kittatinny  or  Snyder. 

For  many  years,  the  great  desideratum  has  been  a  perfectly  hardy 
blackberry,  and  this  want  has  at  last  been  met  in  part  by  the  Snyder,  a 
Western  variety  that  seems  able  to  endure  without  the  slightest  injury 
the  extremes  of  temperature  common  in  the  North-western  States.  From 
Nebraska  eastward  I  have  followed  its  history,  and  have  never  heard  of  its 
being  injured  by  frost.  It  originated  on,  or  in  the  vicinity  of,  Mr.  Snyder's 
farm,  near  La  Porte,  Ind.,  about  1851,  and  is  an  upright,  exceedingly 
vigorous  and  stocky  grower,  a  true  child  of  the  R.  Villosus.  The 
engraving  well  suggests  its  wonderful  productiveness,  and  the  single  berry 
given  outlines  the  average  size  of  the  fruit  under  good  culture.  Its  one 
fault  is  thus  seen  at  a  glance — it  is  not  quite  large  enough  to  compete  with 
those  already  described.  On  moist  land,  with  judicious  pruning,  it  could 
be  made  to  approach  them  very  nearly,  however,  while  its  earliness, 
hardiness,  fine  flavor  and  ability  to  grow  and  yield  abundantly  almost 
;  anywhere,  will  lead  to  an  increasing  popularity.  For  home  use,  size  is 
not  so  important  as  flavor  and  certainty  of  a  crop.  It  is  also  more 
nearly  ripe  when  first  black  than  any  other  kind  that  I  have  seen  ;  its 


2O4 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


thorns  are  straight, 
and  therefore  less 
vicious.  I  find  that 
it  is  growing  steadily 
in  favor;  and  where 
the  Kittatinny  is 
winter-killed,  this 
hardv,  new  variety 
leaves  little  cause 
for  repining. 

There  are  several 

kinds  that  are  passing  out  of  cultivation,  and  not  a  few  new  candidates 
for  favor,  but  the  claims  of  superiority  are  as  yet  too  doubtful  to  be 
recognized.  Mr.  James  Wilson,  of  West  Point,  N.  Y.,  found  some  mag- 
nificent wild  berries  growing  on  Crow  Nest  Mountain.  The  bush 
that  bore  them  is  now  in  my  garden,  and  if  it  should  produce  fruit 
having  a  flavor  equal  to  Rodman  Drake's  poem,  Mr.  Wilson  has,  then, 


Snyder  Blackberry. 


Blackberries — Varieties,  Cultivation,  Etc.  205 

found  something  more  real  than  a  "  Culprit  Fay."  Occasionally,  a 
thornless  blackberry  is  heralded,  and  not  a  few  have  reason  to  recall 
the  "  Hoosac,"  which  was  generally  found,  I  think,  about  as  free  from 
fruit  as  thorns.  We  have,  also,  the  horticultural  paradox  of  white  black- 
berries, in  the  "  Crystal,"  introduced  by  Mr.  John  B.  Orange,  of  Albion, 
Illinois,  and  some  others.  They  have  little  value,  save  as  curiosities. 


PROPAGATION,    CULTURE,    ETC. 

In  most  instances,  I  think  more  difficulty  would  be  found  in  making  a 
blackberry  die  than  live.  A  plant  set  out  in  fall  or  early  spring  will 
thrive  if  given  the  ghost  of  a  chance.  Late  spring  plantings,  however, 
often  fail  if  subjected  to  heat  and  drought  while  in  the  green,  succulent 
condition  of  early  growth.  Like  the  raspberry,  the  blackberry  should  be 
set,  if  possible,  while  in  a  dormant  condition.  If  planted  late,  shade 
should  be  given  and  moisture  maintained  until  danger  of  wilting  and 
shriveling  is  past.  I  advise  decidedly  against  late  spring  plantings  on  a 
large  scale,  but  in  early  spring  planting  I  have  rarely  lost  a  plant. 
Almost  all  that  has  been  said  concerning  the  planting  and  propagation  of 
raspberries  applies  to  this  fruit.  Set  the  plants  two  or  three  inches  deeper 
than  they  were  before.  With  the  exception  of  the  early  Wilson,  all 
speedily  propagate  themselves  by  suckers,  and  this  variety  can  be  increased 
readily  by  root  cuttings.  Indeed,  better  plants  are  usually  obtained  from 
all  varieties  by  sowing  slips  of  the  root,  as  has  already  been  explained  in 
the  paper  on  raspberries. 

The  treatment  of  the  blackberry  can  best  be  indicated  by  merely 
noting  wherein  its  requirements  differ  from  the  last-named  and  kindred 
fruit.  For  instance,  it  does  best  on  light  soils  and  in  sunny  exposures. 
The  partial  shade,  and  moist,  heavy  land  in  which  the  raspberry  luxuriates, 
would  produce  a  rank  growth  of  canes  that  winter  would  generally  find 
unripened,  and  unable  to  endure  the  frost  Warm,  well-drained,  but  not 
dry  land,  therefore,  is  the  best.  On  hard,  dry  ground,  the  fruit  often 
never  matures,  but  becomes  mere  collections  of  seeds.  Therefore  the 
need  in  the  preparation  of  the  soil  of  deep  plowing,  and  the  thorough 
loosening,  if  possible,  of  the  subsoil  with  the  lifting  plow.  Any  one  who 
has  traced  blackberry  roots  in  light  soils  will  seek  to  give  them  foraging- 
room.  Neither  does  this  fruit  require  the  fertility  needed  in  most  instances 
by  the  raspberry.  It  inclines  to  grow  too  rankly  at  best,  and  demands 
mellowness  rather  than  richness  of  soil. 


206  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

More  room  should  also  be  given  to  the  blackberry  than  to  the  rasp- 
berry. The  rows  should  be  six  feet  apart  in  the  garden  and  eight  feet  in 
field  culture,  and  the  plants  set  three  feet  apart  in  the  rows.  At  this 
distance,  1,815  are  required  for  an  acre,  if  one  plant  only  is  placed  in  a 
hill.  Since  these  plants  are  usually  cheap,  if  one  is  small  or  unprovided 
with  good  roots,  it  is  well  to  plant  two.  If  the  ground  is  not  very  fertile, 
it  is  well  to  give  the  young  plants  a  good  start  by  scattering  a  liberal 
quantity  of  muck  compost  down  the  furrow  in  which  they  are  planted. 
This  insures  the  most  vigorous  growth  of  young  canes  in  the  rows  rather 
than  in  the  intervening  spaces.  As  generally  grown,  they  require  support, 
and  may  be  staked  as  raspberries.  Very  often,  cheap  post-and-wire 
trellises  are  employed,  and  answer  excellently.  Under  this  system, 
they  can  be  grown  in  a  continuous  and  bushy  row,  with  care  against 
overcrowding. 

The  ideal  treatment  of  the  blackberry  is  management  rather  than 
culture.  More  can  be  done  with  the  thumb  and  finger  at  the  right  time 
than  with  the  most  savage  pruning-shears  after  a  year  of  neglect.  In 
May  and  June,  the  perennial  roots  send  up  vigorous  shoots  that  grow 
with  amazing  rapidity,  until  from  five  to  ten  feet  high.  Very  often,  this 
summer  growth  is  so  brittle  and  heavy  with  foliage,  that  thunder-gusts 
break  them  off  from  the  parent  stem  just  beneath  the  ground,  and  the 
bearing  cane  of  the  coming  year  is  lost.  These  and  the  following  con- 
siderations show  the  need  of  summer  pruning.  Tall,  overgrown  canes  are 
much  more  liable  to  be  injured  by  frost.  They  need  high  and  expensive 
supports.  Such  branchless  canes  are  by  no  means  so  productive  as  those 
which  are  made  to  throw  out  low  and  lateral  shoots.  They  can  always 
be  made  to  do  this  by  a  timely  pinch  that  takes  off  the  terminal  bud  of 
the  cane.  This  stops  its  upward  growth,  and  the  buds  beneath  it,  which 
otherwise  might  remain  dormant,  are  immediately  forced  to  become  side 
branches  near  the  ground,  where  the  snow  may  cover  them,  and  over 
which,  in  the  garden,  straw  or  other  light  litter  may  be  thrown,  on  the 
approach  of  winter.  It  thus  is  seen  that  by  early  summer  jihiching  the 
blackberry  may  be  compelled  to  become  as  low  and  bushy  a  shrub  as  we 
desire,  and  is  made  stocky  and  self-supporting  at  the  same  time.  Usually, 
it  is  not  well  to  let  the  bushes  grow  over  four  feet  high,  and,  in  regions 
where  they  winter-kill  badly,  I  would  keep  them  under  three  feet,  so  that 
the  snow  might  be  a  protection.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the 
Kittatinny  is  so  nearly  hardy  that  in  almost  all  instances  a  very  slight 
covering  saves  it.  The  suckers  that  come  up  thickly  between  the  rows 
can  be  cut  away  while  small  with  the  least  possible  trouble ;  but  leave  the 


Propagation,  Culture,  Etc.  207 


patch  or  field  to  its  own  wild  impulses  for  a  year  or  so,  and  you  may  find 
a  "slip  of  wilderness  "  in  the  midst  of  your  garden  that  will  require  not  a 
little  strength  and  patience  to  subdue.  By  far  the  best  weapon  for  such 
a  battle,  and  the  best  implement  also  for  cutting  out  the  old  wood,  is  the 
powerful  and  long-handled  shears  suggested  in  the  engraving  of  the  early 
Wilson  variety. 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 


CURRANTS  —  CHOICE   OF   SOIL,    CULTIVATION,    PRUNING,    ETC. 


THEY  were  "  curns  "    in   our    early  boyhood,  and  "  curns  "  they  are 
still  in  the  rural  vernacular  of  many  regions.     In  old  English  they 
were  "  corrans,"  because  the  people  associated  them  with  the  raisins  of  the 
small  Zante  grape,  once  imported  so  exclusively  from  Corinth  as  to  acquire 
the  name  of  that  city. 

Under  the  tribe  Grossularice  of  the  Saxifrage  family  we  find  the  Ribes, 
containing  many  species  of  currants  and  gooseberries ;  but,  in  accordance 
with  the  scope  of  this  book,  we  shall  quote  from  Professor  Gray  (whose 
arrangement  we  follow)  only  those  that  furnish  the  currants  of  cultivation. 

"  Ribes  Rubrum,  red  currant,  cultivated  from  Europe,  also  wild  on  our 
northern  border,  with  straggling  or  reclining  stems,  somewhat  heart- 
shaped,  moderately  three  to  five  lobed  leaves,  the  lobes  roundish  and 
drooping  racemes  from  lateral  buds  distinct  from  the  leaf  buds ;  edible 
berries  red,  or  a  white  variety." 

This  is  the  parent  of  our  cultivated  red  and  white  varieties.  Currants 
are  comparatively  new-comers  in  the  garden.  When  the  Greek  and 
Roman  writers  were  carefully  noting  and  naming  the  fruits  of  their  time, 
the  Ribes  tribe  was  as  wild  as  any  of  the  hordes  of  the  far  north,  in  whose 
dim,  cold,  damp  woods  and  bogs  it  then  flourished  ;  but,  like  other  northern 
tribes,  it  is  making  great  improvement  under  the  genial  influences  of  civili- 
zation and  culture. 

Until  within  a  century  or  two,  gardeners  who  cultivated  currants  at  all 
were  content  with  wild  specimens  from  the  woods.    The  exceedingly  small, 
27 


2io  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

acid  fruit  of  these  wildings  was  not  calculated  to  inspire  enthusiasm ;  but  a 
people  possessing  the  surer  qualities  of  patience  and  perseverance  deter- 
mined to  develop  them,  and,  as  a  result,  we  have  the  old  Red  and  White 
Dutch  varieties,  as  yet  unsurpassed  for  the  table.  In  the  Victoria,  Cherry, 
and  White  Grape,  we  have  decided  advances  in  size,  but  not  in  flavor. 


CHOICE   AND   PREPARATION   OF   SOIL. 

The  secret  of  success  in  the  culture  of  currants  is  suggested  by  the  fact 
that  nature  has  planted  nearly  every  species  of  the  Ribes  in  cold,  damp, 
northern  exposures.  Throughout  the  woods  and  bogs  of  the  Northern 
Hemisphere  is  found  the  scraggy,  untamed,  hardy  stock  from  which  has 
been  developed  the  superb  White  Grape,  whose  translucent  beauty  is 
scarcely  reproduced  even  by  the  fine  engraving.  As  with  people,  so  with 
plants;  development  does  not  eradicate  constitutional  traits  and  tendencies. 
Beneath  all  is  the  craving  for  the  primeval  conditions  of  life,  and  the  best 
success  with  the  currant  and  gooseberry  will  assuredly  be  obtained  by  those 
who  can  give  them  a  reasonable  approach  to  the  soil,  climate,  and  culture 
suggested  by  their  damp,  cold,  native  haunts.  As  with  the  strawberry, 
then,  the  first  requisite  is,  not  wetness,  but  abundant  and  continuous  moist- 
ure. Soils  naturally  deficient  in  this,  and  which  cannot  be  made  drought- 
resisting  by  deep  plowing  and  cultivation,  are  not  adapted  to  the  currant. 
Because  this  fruit  is  found  wild  in  bogs,  it  does  not  follow  that  it  can  be 
grown  successfully  in  undrained  swamps.  It  will  do  better  in  such  places 
than  on  dry,  gravelly  knolls,  or  on  thin,  light  soils ;  but  our  fine,  civilized 
varieties  need  civilized  conditions.  The  well-drained  swamp  may  become 
the  very  best  of  currant  fields  ;  and  damp,  heavy  land,  that  is  capable  of 
deep,  thorough  cultivation,  should  be  selected  if  possible.  When  such  is 
not  to  be  had,  then,  by  deep  plowing,  subsoiling,  by  abundant  mulch  around 
the  plants  throughout  the  summer,  and  by  occasional  watering  in  the  gar- 
den, counteracting  the  effects  of  lightness  and  dryness  of  soil,  skill  can  go 
far  in  making  good  nature's  deficiencies. 

Next  to  depth  of  soil  and  moisture,  the  currant  requires  fertility.  It  is 
justly  called  one  of  the  "  gross  feeders,"  and  is  not  particular  as  to  the 
quality  of  its  food,  so  that  it  is  abundant.  I  would  still  suggest,  however, 
that  it  be  fed  according  to  its  nature  with  heavy  composts,  in  which  muck, 
leaf-mold,  and  the  cleanings  of  the  cow-stable  are  largely  present.  Wood 
ashes  and  bone  meal  are  also  most  excellent.  If  stable  or  other  light 
manures  must  be  used,  I  would  suggest  that  they  be  scattered  liberally  on 


Choice  and  Preparation  of  Soil.  2 1 1 

the  surface  in  the  fall  or  early  spring,  and  gradually  worked  in  by  cultiva- 
tion. Thus  used,  their  light  heating  qualities  will  do  no  harm,  and  they 
will  keep  the  surface  mellow  and,  therefore,  moist. 

The  shadowy,  Northern  haunts  of  the  wild  currant  also  suggest 
that  it  will  falter  and  fail  under  the  Southern  sun ;  and  this  is  true. 
As  we  pass  down  through  the  Middle  States,  we  find  it  difficult  to  make 
thrive  even  the  hardy  White  and  Red  Dutch  varieties,  and  a  point  is  at 
last  reached  when  the  bushes  lose  their  leaves  in  the  hot  season,  and  die. 
From  the  latitude  of  New  York  south,  therefore,  increasing  effort  should  be 
made  to  supply  the  currants'  constitutional  need,  by  giving  partial  shade 
among  pear  or  widely  set  apple  trees,  or,  better  still,  by  planting  on  the 
northern  side  of  fences,  buildings,  etc.  By  giving  a  cool,  half-shady 
exposure  in  moist  land,  the  culture  of  the  currant  can  be  extended  far  to 
the  south,  especially  in  the  high  mountain  regions.  Even  well  to  the 
north  it  is  unprofitable  when  grown  on  light,  thin,  poor  land,  unless 
given  liberal,  skillful  culture. 


PLANTING,  CULTIVATION    AND   PRUNING. 

I  regard  autumn  as  the  best  season  for  planting  currants,  but  have 
succeeded  nearly  as  well  in  early  spring.  If  kept  moist,  there  is  little 
danger  of  the  plants  dying  at  any  time,  but  those  set  in  the  fall  or  early 
spring  make,  the  first  year,  a  much  larger  growth  than  those  planted  when 
the  buds  have  developed  into  leaves.  Since  they  start  so  early,  they  should 
be  set  in  the  spring  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to  work,  and  in  the 
autumn,  any  time  after  the  leaves  fall  or  the  wood  is  ripe.  The  plants  of 
commerce  are  one,  two  and  three  years  old,  though  not  very  many  of  the 
last  are  sold.  I  would  as  soon  have  one-year  plants,  if  well  rooted,  as  any, 
since  they  are  cheaper  and  more  certain  to  make  strong,  vigorous  bushes, 
if  given  generous  treatment  in  the  open  field,  than  if  left  crowded  too  long 
in  nursery  rows.  For  the  garden,  where  fruit  is  desired  as  soon  as  possible, 
two  and  three  year  old  plants  are  preferable.  After  planting,  cut  the 
young  bushes  back  one-half  or  two-thirds,  so  as  to  insure  new  and  vigorous 
growth. 

In  field  culture,  I  recommend  that  the  rows  be  five  feet  apart,  and  the 
plants  four  feet  from  each  other,  in  the  row.  In  this  case,  2,178  plants  are 
required  for  an  acre.  If  it  is  designed  to  cultivate  them  both  ways,  let  the 
plants  be  set  at  right  angles  five  feet  apart,  an  acre  now  requiring  1,742 
plants.  Sink  them  two  or  three  inches  deeper  than  they  stood  in  the 


'212 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


nursery  rows,  and  although  in  preparation  the  ground  was  well  enriched, 
a  shovel  of  compost  around  the  young  plant  gives  it  a  fine  send-off,  and 
hastens  the  development  of  a  profitable  bush.  In  the  field  and  for  market, 


In  the  Currant  Field. 

I  would  urge  that  currants  be  grown  invariably  in  bush,  rather  than  in  tree 
form.  English  writers,  and  some  here  who  follow  them,  recommend  the 
latter  method ;  but  it  is  not  adapted  to  our  climate,  and  to  such  limited 
attention  as  we  can  afford  to  give.  The  borers,  moreover,  having  but  a 
single  stem  to  work  upon,  would  soon  cause  many  vacancies  in  the  rows. 

Currants  are  grown  for  market  with  large  and  increasing  profits — 
indeed,  there  is  scarcely  a  fruit  that  now  pays  better.  The  graphic  pencil 
of  Miss  Curtiss  has  well  suggested  the  July  scenes  on  Mr.  Cornell's  place, 
near  Newburgh, — one  of  the  largest  currant  farms  in  the  country. 


Planting,  Cultivation  and  Pruning. 


213 


Mr.  John  S.  Collins,  of  Moorestown,  N.  J.,  by  the  following  ingenious, 
yet  simple,  invention,  is  able  to  drive  through  his  currant  and  raspberry 
fields  without  injuring  the  plants.  "  An  ordinary  cart  is  changed  by 
putting  in  an  axle  fifteen  inches  longer  than  usual,  the  wheels  thus  making 
a  track  six  fecc  and  eight  inches  wide.  The  shafts  and  body  of  the  cart 
are  put  just  as  close  to  one  wheel  as  possible,  so  that  the  horse  and  the 
wheel  will  pass  as  near  together,  and  as  near  in  a  line,  as  practicable.  The 
axle  of  the  other  wheel  being  long,  and  bowing  up  several  inches  higher 
than  ordinary  in  the  middle,  it  passes  over  a  row  of  bushes  with  little  or 
no  damage.  Thus,  fertilizers  can  be  carried  to  all  parts  of  the  field." 

Of  course,  it  would  not  do  to  drive  through  bushes  laden  with  fruit; 
but  after  they  were  picked,  such  a  vehicle  could  cause  but  little  injury. 

In  the  garden  and  for  home  use  there  is  the  widest  latitude.  We 
may  content  ourselves,  as  many  do,  with  a  few  old  Red  Dutch  bushes 


Weighing  Currants. 

that,  for  a  generation,  have  struggled  with  grass  and  burdocks.  We  may 
do  a  little  better,  and  set  out  plants  in  ordinary  garden  soil,  but  forget 
for  years  to  give  a  particle  of  food  to  the  starving  bushes,  remarking 


214  Success  wit /i  Small  Fruits.  ^ 

annually,  with  increasing  emphasis,  that  they  must  be  "  running  out." 
Few  plants  of  the  garden  need  high  feeding  more,  and  no  others  are  more 
generally  starved.  I  will  guarantee  that  there  are  successful  farmers  who 
no  more  think  of  manuring  a  currant  bush  than  of  feeding  crows.  This 
fruit  will  live,  no  matter  how  we  abuse  it,  but  there  are  scarcely  any 
that  respond  more  quickly  to  generous  treatment ;  and  in  the  garden  where 
it  is  not  necessary  to  keep  such  a  single  eye  to  the  margin  of  profit, 
many  beautiful  and  interesting  things  can  be  done  with  the  currant.  The 
majority  will  be  satisfied  with  large,  vigorous  bushes,  well  enriched, 
mulched  and  skillfully  pruned.  If  we  choose,  however,  we  may 
train  them  into  pretty  little  trees,  umbrella,  globe,  or  pyramidal  in 
shape,  according  to  our  fancy,  and,  by  watchfulness  and  the  use  of 
ashes,  keep  away  the  borers.  The  beautiful  cluster  of  Cherry  currants 
seen  in  the  engraving  was  taken  from  a  little  tree  about  three  feet  high, 
grown  in  the  following  simple  manner.  I  found  a  few  vigorous  shoots 
that  had  made  a  growth  of  nearly  three  feet  in  a  single  season.  With 
the  exception  of  the  terminal  bud  and  three  or  four  just  below  it,  I 
disbudded  these  shoots  carefully,  imbedded  the  lower  ends  six  inches  in 
moist  soil,  as  one  would  an  ordinary  cutting,  and  they  speedily  took  root 
and  developed  into  little  trees.  Much  taller  and  more  ornamental  cur- 
rant and  gooseberry  trees  can  be  obtained  by  grafting  any  variety  we 
wish  on  the  Missouri  species  (Ribes  Aureum).  These,  as  the  artist  has 
suggested,  can  be  made  pretty  and  useful  ornaments  of  the  lawn,  as 
well  as  of  the  garden.  Instead,  therefore,  of  weed-choked,  sprawling, 
unsightly  objects,  currant  bushes  can  be  made  things  of  beauty,  as  well 
as  of  sterling  worth ;  and  how  very  beautiful  they  are  will,  perhaps,  be 
realized  for  the  first  time  by  some  who  study  the  artist's  work. 

The  cultivation  of  the  currant  is  very  simple.  As  early  in  the  spring 
as  the  ground  is  dry  enough,  it  should  be  thoroughly  stirred  by  plow 
or  cultivator,  and  all  perennial  weeds  and  grasses  just  around  the 
bushes  taken  out  with  pronged  hoes  or  forks.  If  P  liberal  top- 
dressing  of  compost  or  some  other  fertilizer  was  not  given  m  the  autumn, 
which  is  the  best  time  to  apply  it,  let  it  be  spread  over  the  roots  (not 
tip  against  the  stems)  before  the  first  spring  cultivation.  While  the 
bushes  are  still  young,  they  can  be  cultivated  and  kept  clean,  like  any 
hoed  crop ;  but  after  they  come  into  bearing, — say  the  third  summer, — 
a  different  course  must  be  adopted.  If  the  ground  is  kept  mellow  and  bare 
tinder  the  bushes,  the  fruit  will  be  so  splashed  with  earth  as  to  be  unsalable, 
and  washed  fruit  is  scarcely  fit  for  the  table.  We  very  properly  wish  it 
with  just  the  bloom  and  coloring  which  nature  is  a  month  or  more  in 


Planting,  Cultivation  and  Pruning. 


21$ 


elaborating.  Muddy  or  rinsed  fruit  suggests  the  sty,  not  a  dining-room. 
A  mulch  of  leaves,  straw,  evergreen  boughs, — anything  that  will  keep  the 
ground  clean, — applied  immediately  after  the  early  spring  culture,  is  the 
best  and  most  obvious  way  of 
preserving  the  fruit;  and  this 
method  also  secures  all  the 
good  results  which  have  been 
shown  to  follow  mulching. 
Where  it  is  not  convenient  to 
mulch,  I  would  suggest  that  the 
ground  be  left  undisturbed  after 
the  first  thorough  culture,  until 
the  fruit  is  gathered.  The  weeds 
that  grow  in  the  interval  may 
be  mowed,  and  allowed  to  fall 
under  the  bushes.  By  the  end 
of  June,  the  soil  will  have  become 
so  fixed  that,  with  a  partial  sod 
of  weeds,  the  fruit  may  hang 
over,  or  even  rest  upon  it,  with- 
out being  splashed  by  the  heavy 
rains  then  prevalent.  This 
course  is  not  so  neat  as  clean 
cultivation  or  mulching.  Few 
fruit  growers,  however,  can 
afford  to  make  appearances  the 
first  consideration.  I  have  heard 
of  oats  being  sown  among  the 
bushes  to  keep  the  fruit  clean, 
but  their  growth  must  check 
the  best  development  of  the  fruit 
quite  as  much  as  the  natural 
crop  of  weeds.  It  would  be 
better  to  give  clean  culture,  and 
grow  rye,  or  any  early  maturing 
green  crop,  somewhere  else,  and  when  the  fruit  begins  to  turn,  spread 
this  material  under  the  bushes.  On  many  places,  the  mowings  of  weedy, 
swampy  places  would  be  found  sufficient  for  the  purpose.  After  the 
fruit  is  gathered,  start  the  cultivator  and  hoe  at  once,  so  as  to  secure 
vigorous  foliage  and  healthful  growth  throughout  the  entire  summer. 


, 


Currants  and  Gooseberries  in  Tree  Form. 


216  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Pruning  may  be  done  any  time  after  the  leaves  fall,  and  success 
depends  upon  its  judicious  and  rigorous  performance.  The  English 
gardeners  have  recognized  this  fact,  and  they  have  as  minute  and  care- 
ful a  system  as  we  apply  to  the  grape.  These  formal  and  rather 
arbitrary  methods  can  scarcely  be  followed  practically  in  our  hurried 
American  life.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  can  do  no  better  than  to  lay  down 
some  sound  and  general  principles  and  leave  their  working  out  to  the 
judgment  of  the  grower.  In  most  instances,  I  imagine  our  best  gar- 
deners rarely  trim  two  bushes  exactly  alike,  but  deal  with  each  according 
to  its  vigor  and  natural  tendencies,  for  a  currant  bush  has  not  a  little 
individuality. 

A  young  bush  needs  cutting  back  like  a  young  grape-vine,  and  for  the 
same  reason.  A  grape-vine  left  to  itself  would  soon  become  a  mass  of 
tangled  wood  yielding  but  little  fruit,  and  that  of  inferior  quality.  In  like 
manner  nature,  uncurbed,  gives  us  a  great,  straggling  bush  that  is  choked 
and  rendered  barren  by  its  own  luxuriance.  Air  and  light  are  essential, 
and  the  knife  must  make  spaces  for  them.  Cutting  back  and  shortening 
branches  develops  fruit  buds.  Otherwise,  we  have  long,  unproductive 
reaches  of  wood.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  Cherry  and  other  varieties 
resembling  it.  The  judicious  use  of  the  knife,  kept  up  from  year  to  year, 
will  almost  double  their  productiveness.  Again,  too  much  very  young 
and  too  much  old  wood  are  causes  of  unfruitfulness.  The  skillful  culturist 
seeks  to  produce  and  preserve  many  points  of  branching  and  short  spurs, 
for  it  is  here  that  the  little  fruit  buds  cluster  thickly.  When  a  branch  is 
becoming  black  and  feeble  from  age,  cut  it  back  to  the  root,  that  space 
may  be  given  for  younger  growth.  From  six  to  twelve  bearing  stems, 
from  three  to  five  feet  high,  with  their  shortened  branches  and  fruit  spurs, 
may  be  allowed  to  grow  from  the  roots,  according  to  the  vigor  of  the 
plant  and  the  space  allotted  to  it.  Usually,  too  many  suckers  start  in  the 
spring.  Unless  the  crop  of  young  wood  is  valuable  for  propagation,  all 
except  such  as  are  needed  to  renew  the  bush  should  be  cut  out  as  early 
as  possible,  before  they  have  injured  the  forming  crop.  In  rLr.gland,  great 
attention  is  paid  to  summer  pruning,  and  here  much  might  be  accom- 
plished by  it  if  we  had,  or  would  take,  the  time. 


" 


^ 

SSITY 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 


CURRANTS,    CONTINUED  —  PROPAGATION,    VARIETIES. 


PRUNING  naturally  leads  to  the  subject  of  propagation,  for  much 
of  that  which  is  cut  away,  so  far  from  being  useless,  is  often  of  great 
value  to  the  nurseryman  ;  and  there  are  few  who  grow  this  fruit  for 
market  who  could  not  turn  many  an  honest  penny  if  they  would 
take  the  refuse  young  wood  of  the  previous  summer's  growth  and 
develop  it  into  salable  bushes.  In  most  instances,  a  market  would  be 
found  in  their  own  neighborhood.  Nothing  is  easier  than  success  in 
raising  young  currant  bushes,  except  failure.  If  cuttings  are  treated  in 
accordance  with  their  demand  for  moisture  and  coolness,  they  grow  with 
almost  certainty;  if  subjected  to  heat  and  drought,  they  usually  soon 
become  dry  sticks.  The  very  best  course  is  to  make  and  plant  our 
cuttings  in  September  or  very  early  in  October — just  as  soon  as  the  leaves 
fall  or  will  rub  off  readily.  As  is  true  of  a  root-slip,  so  also  the  wood 
cutting  must  make  a  callus  at  its  base  before  there  can  be  growth.  From 
^this  the  roots  start  out.  Therefore,  the  earlier  in  the  fall  that  cuttings  are 
made,  the  more  time  for  the  formation  of  this  callus.  Often,  autumn- 
planted  cuttings  are  well  rooted  before  winter,  and  have  just  that  much 
start  over  those  that  must  begin  life  in  the  spring.  Six  inches  is  the 
average  length.  See  Figures  A,  B  and  C.  Let  the  cuttings  be  sunk  in 
;deep,  rich,  moist,  but  thoroughly  well- drained  soil,  so  deeply  as  to  leave 
but  two  or  three  buds  above  the  ground.  In  the  garden,  where  the  design 
is  to  raise  a  few  fine  bushes  for  home  use  merely,  let  the  rows  be  two 

28 

217 


218 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


feet  apart  and  the  cuttings  six  inches  apart  in  the  row.  In  raising  them 
by  the  thousand  for  market,  we  must  economize  space  and  labor;  and, 
therefore,  one  of  the  best  methods,  after  rendering  the  ground  mellow 
and  smooth,  is  to  stretch  a  line  across  the  plat  or  field ;  then,  beginning  on 
one  side  of  the  line,  to  strike  a  spade  into  the  soil  its  full  depth,  press  it 
forward  and  draw  it  out  This  leaves  a  slight  opening  of  the  width  and 

depth  of  the  spade,  and  a  boy,  fol- 
lowing, inserts  in  this  three  cuttings, 
one  in  the  middle  and  one  at  each  end. 
The  man  then  steps  back  and  drives 
the  spade  down  again  about  four  inches 
in  the  rear  of  the  first  opening,  and, 
as  he  presses  his  spade  forward  to 
make  a  second,  he  closes  up  the  first 
opening,  pressing — indeed,  almost 
pinching — the  earth  around  the  three 
slips  that  have  just  been  thrust  down, 
until  but  one  or  two  buds  are  above 
the  surface.  We  thus  have  a  row  of 
cuttings,  three  abreast,  and  about  three 
inches  apart,  across  the  entire  field. 
A  space  of  three  feet  is  left  for  cultiva- 
tion, and  then  we  plant,  as  before, 
another  triple  row.  These  thick  rows 
should  be  taken  up  the  following  fall, 
when  the  largest  may  be  sold,  or 
planted  where  they  are  to  fruit,  and 
the  smaller  ones  replanted  in  nursery 
rows.  When  land  is  abundant,  the 
cuttings  may  be  sunk  in  single  rows, 
with  sufficient  space  between  for  horse 
cultivation,  and  allowed  to  mature  into 
two-year-old  plants  without  removal. 
If  these  are  not  planted  or  sold,  they  should  be  cut  back  rigorously  before 
making  the  third  year's  growth. 

In  moist  land,  cuttings  can  be  made  to  grow  even  if  set  out  late  in 
the  spring,  especially  if  top-dressed  and  mulched ;  but  if  they  are  to  be 
started  on  high,  dry  land,  they  should  be  out  sufficiently  early  in  the 
autumn  to  become  rooted  before  winter.  If  our  land  is  of  a  nature  that 
tends  to  throw  roots  out  of  the  ground, — and  moist,  heavy  land  has  this 


Currant  Cuttings  and  Callus. 
(See  Figs.  A,  B,  C.) 


Varieties.  219 

tendency, —  it  may  be  best  to  bury  the  cuttings  in  bundles,  tied  up  with 
fine  wire,  on  a  dry  knoll,  below  the  action  of  the  frost,  and  set  them  out 
early — as  early  as  possible — in  the  spring.  At  any  season,  the  rows  of 
cuttings  should  be  well  top-dressed  with  fine  manure,  and,  if  planted  in 
autumn,  they  should  be  so  well  covered  with  straw,  leaves,  or  some  litter, 
as  not  to  suffer  or  be  thrown  out  in  freezing  and  thawing  weather.  I 
manage  to  get  half  my  cuttings  out  in  the  fall,  and  half  in  early  spring. 

In  the  green-house,  and  even  out-of-doors,  under  very  favorable  circum- 
stances, plants  may  be  grown  from  single  buds ;  and  green  wood  also 
propagates  readily  under  glass. 

A  vigorous  young  plant,  with  roots  attached,  may  often  be  obtained  by 
breaking  off  the  suckers  that  start  beneath  the  surface  around  the  stems; 
and,  by  layering  or  bending  bushes  over  and  throwing  dirt  upon  them,  new 
plants  are  readily  made,  also  ;  but,  more  shapely,  ana  usually  more  vigorous, 
bushes  are  obtained  by  simple  cuttings,  as  I  have  described. 

When  it  is  designed  to  grow  a  cutting  in  a  tree  form,  all  the  buds  but 
two  or  three  at  the  top  should  be  carefully  removed. 

If  we  wish  to  try  our  fortune  in  raising  new  varieties,  we  must  sow 
seeds  of  the  very  best  specimens  we  can  find,  gathered  when  perfectly  ripe. 
These  seeds  should  never  be  kept  where  it  is  hot  or  very  dry,  and  should 
be  soaked  for  a  day  or  two  in  tepid  water  before  planting.  Sow  early  in 
spring,  quarter  of  an  inch  deep,  in  fine,  rich  soil,  which  must  continually 
be  kept  moist,  but  never  wet.  Top- dressings  of  very  fine,  light  manure 
would  keep  the  surface  from  baking,  thus  giving  the  seeds  a  chance  to 
germinate.  Tolerate  no  weeds.  Remove  the  seedlings  in  the  fall  to  rows 
three  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  two  feet  distant  in  the  row.  There  they 
may  stand  until  their  comparative  value  can  be  determined. 


VARIETIES. 

Black  currants  form  quite  a  distinct  class  in  appearance  and  flavor,  and 
are  not  as  popular  with  us  as  in  England.  They  are  stronger  and  coarser- 
growing  plants  than  the  red  and  white  species,  and  do  not  require  as  high 
culture.  They  can  be  grown  to  advantage  in  tree  form,  as  they  are  quite 
exempt  from  insect  enemies.  The  tent  caterpillar  is  the  only  one  that  I 
have  seen  injuring  them.  They  also  require  much  less  pruning,  since  the 
jbest  fruit  is  borne  on  the  young  wood  of  the  previous  year's  growth.  If 
they  are  grown  as.  bushes,  they  need  more  room, — six  feet  apart  each 
way, — and  the  knife  need  be  used  only  to  secure  good  form  and  space  for 


22O  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

air  and  light.  Two  native  species — Ribes  Floridum  and  Ribes  Aureum — 
are  cultivated  to  some  extent  (for  description  see  "  Gray's  Botany "). 
Although  these  species  and  their  varieties  are  of  little  value,  Mr.  Fuller 
thinks  that  they  might  become  the  parents  of  far  better  kinds  than  we  now 
have,  since  they  are  strong  growers,  and  their  fruit  is  naturally  of  better 
flavor  than  that  of  the  European  black  currant.  Ribes  Aureum  is  largely 
cultivated  as  an  ornamental  shrub,  and  its  spicy-scented,  bright  yellow 
flowers  of  early  spring  are  among  my  pleasantest  memories.  As  has 
already  been  explained,  we  can  make  miniature  trees  of  our  white  and  red 
currants,  by  grafting  them  on  its  strong,  erect-growing  stems.  Ribes 
Nigrum  is  the  European  species,  and  is  found  wild  throughout  the  northern 
part  of  the  Eastern  hemisphere.  Mr.  Fuller  writes  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Siberia  make  a  beverage  from  its  dried  leaves  which  is  said  closely  to 
resemble  green  tea.  Black  Naples  is  the  finest  variety  of  this  species. 
Charles  Downing  says  of  it :  "  Its  berries  often  measure  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  Its  leaves  and  blossoms  appear  earlier 
than  those  of  the  common,  or  English  Black,  but  the  fruit  is  later,  and  the 
clusters  as  well  as  the  berries  are  larger  and  more  numerous."  Lee's 
Prolific  is  said  by  some  to  be  a  slight  improvement  on  the  above ;  by  others 
it  is  thought  to  be  very  similar. 

Of  red  currants,  the  old  Red  Dutch  is  the  most  prominent.  It  is  the 
currant  of  memory.  From  it  was  made  the  wine  which  our  mothers  and 
grandmothers  felt  that  they  could  offer  with  perfect  propriety  to  the 
minister.  There  are  rural  homes  to-day  in  which  the  impression  still 
lingers  that  it  is  a  kind  of  temperance  drink.  From  it  is  usually  made  the 
currant  jelly,  without  which  no  lady  would  think  of  keeping  house  in  the 
country.  Mrs.  Foote's  charming  drawing  suggests  one  of  the  gravest 
questions  in  the  domestic  economy, — whether  the  jelly  will  "jell."  Often, 
it  does  not,  and  cannot  be  made  to.  The  cause  of  its  lamentable 
perversity  is  this :  The  currants  have  been  left  until  over-ripe  before 
picking,  or  they  have  been  picked  wet,  just  after  rain.  Gather  them  when 
dry,  and  as  soon  as  possible  after  they  have  turned  red,  and  i  am  informed 
by  the  highest  domestic  authority  (my  wife)  that  there  will  be  no  difficulty. 

In  flavor,  the  Red  Dutch  is  unequaled  by  any  other  red  currant.  It  is 
also  a  variety  that  can  scarcely  be  killed  by  abuse  and  neglect,  and  it 
responds  so  generously  to  high  culture  and  rigorous  pruning,  that  it  is  an 
open  question  whether  it  cannot  be  made,  after  all,  the  most  profitable  for 
market,  since  it  is  so  much  more  productive  than  the  larger  varieties,  and 
can  be  made  to  approach  them  so  nearly  in  size.  Indeed,  not  a  few  are 
annually  sold  for  Cherry  currants. 


Varieties, 


221 


The  White  Dutch  is 
similar  to  the  Red  in  the 
growth  and  character  of 
the  bush.  The  clusters, 
however,  are  a  little  short- 
er, and  the  fruit  a  little 


Red  Dutch  Currant. 


222 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


larger  and  sweeter,  and  is  of  a  fine  yellowish-white  color,  with  a  veined, 
translucent  skin. 

The  White  Grape  is  an  advance  in  size  upon  the  last-named,  and  its 
marvelous  productiveness  and  beauty  are  suggested  in  the  engraving. 
It  is  not  as  vigorous  as  the  White  Dutch,  and  is  more  spreading  in  its  mode 


White  Grape  Currants. 

of  growth,  requiring  careful  pruning  to  make  a  shapely  bush.  The  fruit, 
also,  is  not  spread  so  evenly  over  the  wood,  but  is  produced  more  in 
bunches.  In  flavor,  it  is  one  of  the  very  best 

Dana's  Transparent,  and  other  white  varieties,  do  not  vary  materially 
from  either  the  White  Grape  or  Dutch. 


Varieties.  223 

The  great  market  currant  is  the  Cherry.  In  the  Canadian  Horticult- 
urist, for  September,  1878,  I  find  the  following: 

"The  history  of  this  handsome  currant  is  not  without  interest.  Monsieur 
Adrienne  Seneclause,  a  distinguished  horticulturist  in  France,  received  it  from 
Italy  among  a  lot  of  other  currants.  He  noticed  the  extraordinary  size  of 
the  fruit,  and  gave  it,  in  consequence,  the  name  it  yet  bears.  In  the  year 
1843,  it  was  fruited  in  the  nursery  of  the  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and  figured 
from  these  samples  in  the  Annales  de  Flore  et  de  Pomone  for  February,  1848.  Dr. 
William  W.  Valk,  of  Flushing,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  introduced  it  to  the  notice  of 
American  fruit  growers  in  1846,  having  imported  some  of  the  plants  in  the  spring  of 
that  year." 

This  variety  is  now  very  widely  disseminated,  and  its  culture  is  appar- 
ently becoming  increasingly  profitable  every  year.  Two  essentials  are 
requisite  to  success  with  it — high  manuring  and  skillful  pruning.  It  has 
the  tendency  to  produce  long  branches,  on  which  there  are  but  few 
buds.  Rigorous  cutting  back,  so  as  to  cause  branching  joints  and  fruit 
spurs,  should  be  practiced  annually.  The  foliage  is  strong  and  coarse,  and 
the  fruit  much  more  acid  than  the  Dutch  family;  but,  size  and  beauty  carry 
the  market,  and  the  Cherry  can  be  made,  by  high  culture,  very  large  and 
beautiful,  as  the  engraving  suggests.  (See  page  243.) 

Versailles,  or  La  Versaillaise,  is  a  figurative  bone  of  contention.  The 
horticultural  doctors  disagree  so  decidedly  that  the  rest  of  us  can,  without 
presumption,  think  for  ourselves.  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller  has  probably  given  the 
subject  more  attention  than  any  one  else,  and  he  asserts,  without  any  hesi- 
tancy, that  this  so-called  variety  is  identical  with  the  Cherry.  Mr.  Fuller 
is  certainly  entitled  to  his  opinion,  for  he  obtained  plants  of  the  Cherry  and 
Versailles  from  all  the  leading  nurserymen  in  America,  and  imported  them 
from  the  standard  nurseries  abroad,  not  only  once,  but  repeatedly,  yet 
could  never  get  two  distinct  varieties.  The  writer  in  the  Canadian  Horti- 
culturist also  states  in  regard  to  the  Versailles  :  "  Some  pains  were  taken 
to  obtain  this  variety  on  different  occasions,  and  from  the  most  reliable 
sources,  so  that  there  might  be  no  mistake  as  to  the  correctness  of  the  name  ; 
but  after  many  years  of  trial,  we  are  unable  to  perceive  any  decided  varia- 
tion, either  in  the  quality  of  the  fruit,  the  length  of  the  bunch,  or  the  habit 
of  the  plant,  from  the  Cherry  currant." 

I  must  admit  that  I  am  inclined  to  take  the  same  view ;  for,  during 
several  years,  I  have  looked  in  vain  for  two  distinct  varieties.  I  have  care- 
fully kept  the  two  kinds  separate,  but  find  in  each  case  the  same  stout, 
stocky,  short-jointed,  erect  shoots  that  are  often  devoid  of  buds,  and 


224 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


tend  to  become  naked  with  age,  and  the  same  dark  green,  thick,  bluntly 
and  coarsely  serrated  foliage.  Mr.  Downing  thinks  the  difference  lies  in 
the  fact,  that  while  the  Versailles  strain  produces  many  short  bunches  like 
the  Cherry,  it  also  frequently  bears  clusters,  of  which  the  engraving  is  a 
type,  and  that  such  long,  tapering  clusters  are  never  formed  on  the  Cherry. 

This  is  the  only  difference,  I  think,  if  any  exists; 
but  in  no  instance  have  I  been  able  to  find  this 
distinction  well  defined  and  sustained  by  the  bear- 
ing plantations  that  I  have  seen.  Mr.  Downing, 
however,  has  had  tenfold  more  experience  than 
I  have,  and  his  opinions  are  entitled  to  correspond- 
ing weight. 

That  this  class  is  much  inclined  to  "sport,"  I 
think  all  will  admit.  One  bush  in  a  row  may  be 
loaded  with  fruit  year  after  year,  and  the  next  one 
be  comparatively  barren.  The  clusters  on  one 
bush  may  be  'short  and  characteristic  of  the 
Cherry,  while  a  neighboring  bush  in  the  same 
patch  may  show  a  tendency  to  mingle  some  long 
clusters  with  the  short  ones ;  and  young  bushes 
grown  from  the  same  plant  will  show  these  vari- 
ations. I  am  satisfied  that  distinct  and  much  im- 
proved strains  could  be  developed  by  propagating 
from  bushes  producing  the  best  and  most  abundant 
fruit,  and  that  a  variety  having  the  characteristics 
of  the  Ideal  Versailles  could  be  developed.  The 
importance  of  this  careful  selection  in  propagation 
can  scarcely  be  overestimated,  and  the  fruit 
grower  who  followed  it  up  for  a  few  years  might 
almost  double  the  productiveness  and  quality  of 
many  of  his  varieties. 

Victoria  (known  also  as  May's  Victoria,  and 
having  a  half-dozen  other  synonyms)  is  a  distinct 
variety,  whose  great  value  consists  in  its  lengthen- 
ing out  the  currant  season  two  or  three  weeks  after 
the  above-named  kinds  have  matured.  The  fruit  is  also  large, —  between 
the  Red  Dutch  and  Cherry  in  size, —  exceedingly  abundant,  and,  although 
rather  acid,  of  good  flavor  when  fully  ripe.  The  clusters  are  very  long, — 
from  five  to  seven  inches, — tapering,  and  the  berries  are  bright  red.  If 
it  is  grown  in  some  moist,  cool,  half-shady  location,  the  bunches  will 


The  Ideal  Versailles  Cluster. 


Varieties.  225 

hang  on  the  bushes  very  late  in  the  season.  In  many  localities,  it  is 
found  very  profitable,  since  it  need  not  be  sold  until  the  others  are  out  of 
the  market.  The  young  branches  are  rather  slender,  but  the  plant  itself 
is  vigorous,  and  can  be  grown  at  less  expense  than  the  Cherry. 

There  are  many  other  named  varieties,  but  in  the  majority  of  instances 
the  distinctions  between  them  ^re  slight,  and,  as  they  are  waning  before 
the  finer  varieties  that  I  have  described,  I  shall  not  attempt  to  lighten 
the  shadows  that  are  gathering  around  them.  The  future  promises  more 
than  the  past,  and  I  think  that,  before  many  years  pass,  some  fine,  new 
kinds  will  be  introduced. 

The  enemies  and  diseases  of  the  currant  will  be  treated  in  a  later 
chapter. 


29 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


GOOSEBERRIES. 


I  HAVE  treated  the  currant  very  fully,  not  only  because  it  is  the  more 
popular  fruit  in  this  country,  but  also  because  the  greater  part  of  my 
suggestions  under  that  heading  applies  equally  to  this  branch  of  the  Ribes 
tribe.  Possessing  the  same  general  characteristics,  it  should  be  treated  on 
the  same  principles  that  were  seen  to  be  applicable  to  the  currant.  It 
flourishes  best  in  the  same  cool  exposures,  and  is  the  better  for  partial 
shade.  Even  in  the  south  of  England,  the  more  tender-skinned  varieties 
often  scald  in  the  sun.  However,  I  would  recommend  the  shade  of  a 
fence  or  a  northern  hill-side,  rather  than  overhanging  branches  of  trees. 
A  rich  soil,  especially  one  that  is  deep  and  moist,  but  not  wet,  is  equally 
requisite,  and  the  rigorous  annual  pruning  is  even  more  essential.  As  the 
wood  becomes  old  and  black,  it  should  be  cut  out  altogether.  Fruit  buds 
and  spurs  are  produced  on  wood  two  or  more  years  old,  and  cutting  back 
causes  these,  but  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  become  too  crowded.  To 
no  fruit  are  air  and  light  more  essential. 

We  have  in  this  country  two  very  distinct  classes  of  gooseberries — 
the  first  of  foreign  origin,  and  the  second  consisting  of  our  native  species. 
Gray  thus  describes  Ribes  Grossularia,  garden  or  English  gooseberry: 
"  Cultivated  from  Europe  for  the  well-known  fruit ;  thorny  and  prickly, 
with  small,  obtuse,  three  to  five-lobed  leaves,  green  flowers,  one  to  three 
on  short  pedicels,  bell-shaped  calyx,  and  large  berry." 

This  native  of  northern  Europe,  and  the  forests  of  the  British  Islands, 
has  been  developed  into  the  superb  varieties  which  have  been  famous  so 


Gooseberries.  227 

long  in  England,  but  which  we  are  able  to  grow  with  very  partial  success. 
It  remembers  its  birthplace  even  more  strongly  than  the  currant,  and  the 
almost  invariable  mildew  of  our  gardens  is  the  sign  of  its  homesickness. 
The  cool,  moist  climate  of  England  just  suits  it,  and  it  is  the  pride  of  the 
gardens  of  Lancashire  to  surpass  the  world  in  the  development  of  large 
specimens.  Mr.  Downing  writes  : 

"  We  are  indebted  to  the  Lancashire  weavers,  who  seem  to  have  taken  it  up  as 
a  hobby,  for  nearly  all  the  surprisingly  large  sorts  of  modern  date.  Their  annual 
shows  exhibit  this  fruit  in  its  greatest  perfection,  and  a  gooseberry  book  is  pub- 
lished in  Manchester  every  year,  giving  a  list  of  all  the  prize  sorts,  etc." 

The  extraordinary  pains  taken  is  suggested  by  the  following  quota- 
tion from  the  Encyclopaedia  of  Gardening : 

"  To  effect  this  increased  size,  every  stimulant  is  applied  that  their  ingenuity  can 
suggest.  They  not  only  annually  manure  the  soil  richly,  but  also  surround  the 
plants  with  trenches  of  manure  for  the  extremities  of  the  roots  to  strike  into,  and 
form  round  the  stem  of  each  plant  a  basin,  to  be  mulched,  or  manured,  or  watered, 
as  may  become  necessary.  When  a  root  has  extended  too  far  from  the  stem,  it 
is  uncovered,  and  all  the  strongest  leaders  are  shortened  back  nearly  one-half  of 
their  length,  and  covered  with  fresh,  marly  loam,  well  manured.  The  effect  of 
this  pruning  is  to  increase  the  number  of  fibres  and  spongioles,  which  form  rapidly 
on  the  shortened  roots,  and  strike  out  in  all  directions  among  the  fresh,  newly 
stirred  loam,  in  search  of  nutriment." 

This  is  carrying  culture  to  an  extreme  rarely,  if  ever,  seen  in  America. 
The  annual  referred  to  above  recorded  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  goose- 
berry exhibitions  in  1863.  The  number  of  varieties  is  almost  endless,  and 
more  than  seven  hundred  prize  sorts  are  named  in  Lindley's  "  Guide  to  the 
Orchard  " ;  but  not  one  of  them,  I  fear,  can  be  grown  in  this  country,  except 
under  favorable  conditions  and  with  extra  care.  Even  after  supplying  such 
conditions,  they  will  often  mildew  in  spite  of  our  best  efforts.  Again,  in  some 
localities,  and  for  obscure  causes,  they  will  thrive  and  continue  for  years 
quite  free  from  this  chief  enemy  of  the  foreign  gooseberry.  Repeated 
applications  of  the  flowers  of  sulphur  over  the  bushes,  from  the  time  the  fruit 
sets  until  it  is  ripe,  are  probably  the  best  preventive.  Thorough  mulching, 
rigorous  pruning,  and  high  culture  are  also  to  be  recommended.  Those 
who  garden  for  pleasure  would  do  well  to  try  some  of  these  fine  foreigners. 

The  following  are  some  that  Mr.  Downing  and  others  have  recom- 
mended : 


228 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


I.   Red  Varieties :  British  Crown,  Top  Sawyer,  Roaring  Lion,  Lanca- 
shire Lad,  Crown  Bob. 

II.  White :   Cheshire  Lass,  White  Lion,  Whitesmith,  White  Honey. 

III.  Green :   Laurel,  Heart  of  Oak,  Jolly  Angler,  Jolly  Tar. 

IV.  Yellow  :   Golden  Fleece,  Bunker  Hill,  Conqueror,  etc. 

If  but  two  or  three  foreign  berries  are  to  be  chosen,  I  would  recom- 
mend Crown  Bob,  Roaring  Lion  and  Whitesmith. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  seedlings 
of  these  foreign  varieties  have  the 
same  tendency  to  mildew  shown 
by  their  parents.  The  Late  Emer- 
ald, suggested  in  the  engraving, 
was  originated  in  the  old  garden 
at  Newburgh,  and  is  a  sad  example 
of  this  fact.  For  many  years,  it 
thrived  in  its  birthplace  without 
a  trace  of  mildew,  but  on  my  own 
place  it  has  behaved  so  badly  that 
I  do  not  recommend  it.  Were  it 
not  for  this  fault,  I  should  grow 
no  other  variety. 

In  view  of  this  inveterate  evil, 
mildew,  which  is  so  seldom  escaped 
and  so  difficult  to  overcome,  we 
must  turn  to  the  second  great 
class,  our  native  species,  since  they 
are  adapted  to  our  climate.  Of 
these  there  are  several  species,  of 
which  the  following  are  the  most 
prominent : 

Ribes  Speciosum,  showy,  flower- 
ing gooseberry  of  California,  culti- 
vated for  ornament,  especially  in 
England,  and  likely  to  succeed  in 
the  southern  Middle  States.  It  is 

trained  like  a  climber;  has  small,  shining  leaves,  very  handsome  flowers 
resembling  those  of  a  fuchsia,  berry  prickly,  and  few-seeded. 

R.  Rotundi folium,  more  common  in  the  West,  is  often  downy-leaved ; 
peduncles  slender ;  the  slender  stamens  and  two-parted  style  longer  than 
the  narrow  calyx ;  berry  smooth. 


Late  Emerald  Gooseberry. 


Gooseberries. 


229 


Houghton  Seedling  Gooseberry. 

Cynosbati  is  found  in  the  rocky  woods  of  the 
North,  is  downy-leaved,  with  slender  peduncle, 
stamens  and  undivided  style  not  exceeding  the 
broad  calyx ;  large  berry,  usually  prickly. 

R.  Lacustre,  Lake  or  Swamp  Gooseberry,  with 
the  prickly  stems  of  the  gooseberry,  but  with  a 
raceme  of  flowers  like  those  of  a  currant ;  found  in 
the  cold  bogs  and  wet  woods  of  the  North ;  small, 
bristly  berries,  of  unpleasant  flavor. 

Last,  but  by  no  means  the  least,  is  the  Ribes  Hirtellum,  "  commonest 
in  our  Eastern  States,  seldom  downy,  with  very  short  thorns  or  none,  very 
short  peduncles,  stamens  and  two-cleft  style  scarcely  longer  than  the  bell- 
shaped  calyx;  and  the  smooth  berry  is  purple,  small  and  sweet." — (Gray.) 
This  is  the  parent  of  the  most  widely  known  of  our  native  varieties,  the 
Houghton  Seedling,  named  from  its  originator,  Abel  Houghton,  of  Lynn, 
Massachusetts.  The  bush  is  a  vigorous  grower,  that  will  thrive,  with  decent 
culture,  on  any  moderately  good  soil,  and  is  very  rarely  injured  by  mildew. 
At  the  same  time,  it  improves  greatly  under  high  culture  and  pruning. 
The  bush  has  a  slender  and  even  weeping  habit  of  growth,  and  can  be 
propagated  readily  by  cuttings.  From  the  Houghton  have  been  grown 
two  seedlings  that  now  are  justly  the  most  popular. 

The  first  and  best  of  these  is  the  Downing,  originated  by  Mr.  Charles 
Downing,  of  Newburgh.  It  is  an  "  upright,  vigorous-growing  plant, 
very  productive.  Fruit  somewhat  larger  than  the  Houghton,  roundish- 
oval,  whitish-green,  with  the  rib  veins  distinct.  Skin  smooth.  Flesh  rather 
soft,  juicy."  I  consider  this  the  best  and  most  profitable  variety  that 
can  be  generally  grown  in  this  country.  In  flavor,  it  is  excellent.  I  have 
had  good  success  with  it  whenever  I  have  given  it  fair  culture.  It  does 


230 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


not  propagate   readily  from   cuttings,   and  therefore  I  increase  it  usually 
by  layering. 

The  second  seedling  is  Smith's  Improved,  a  comparatively  new  variety 
that  is  winning  favor.      It  more  closely   resembles  the   Houghton  in  its 


Downing  Gooseberry. 


habit  of  growth  than  the  Downing,  and  yet  is  more  vigorous  and  upright 
than  its  parent.  The  fruit  is  considerably  larger  than  the  Houghton,  oval, 
light  green,  with  a  bloom,  moderately  firm,  sweet  and  good. 

Mountain  Seedling,  originating  with  the  Shakers  at  Lebanon,  New 
York,  is  the  largest  of  the  American  varieties,  but  for  some  reason  it  does 
not  gain  in  popularity. 

Cluster,  or  American  Red,  is  an  old  variety  of  unknown  origin.  The 
ancestral  bush  may  have  been  found  in  the  woods.  The  fruit  is  scarcely 
as  large  as  that  of  the  Houghton,  is  darker  in  color  when  fully  ripe,  hangs 
long  on  the  bush,  and  is  sweet  and  good.  Mr.  P.  Barry  z*\  s  that  it  never 
mildews.  Therefore,  it  should  be  made  one  of  the  parents  of  new 
varieties,  for  in  this  direction  lies  the  future  of  this  fruit  in  America. 

In  support  of  this  opinion,  I  am  led  to  quote  the  following  letter, 
recently  received : 

"  I  write  to  call  your  attention  to  a  native  variety  of  gooseberry,  of  which  you 
make  no  mention  in  your  Scribner  papers,  growing  in  great  abundance  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  at  an  elevation  of  from  2,000  to  3,000  feet,  often  in  the  most  exposed 
places,  generally  on  northern  slopes.  Thinking  it  may  not  have  come  to  your 


Gooseberries.  231 

knowledge,  I  will  describe  it :  The  bush  is  of  stiff,  erect  habit,  two  to  three  feet 
high,  a  stocky  grower  and  an  abundant  bearer.  The  berries  vary  from  one-half  to  one 
and  one-quarter  inches  in  diameter,  are  covered  with  innumerable  thorns,  scarcely 
less  savage  in  the  green  state  than  those  on  an  ordinary  wild  bush  of  this  country. 
When  cooked,  the  prickles  soften  down  to  the  same  consistence  as  the  skin,  which 
is  rather  thick.  When  ripe,  they  are  easily  peeled,  ai;d  well  repay  the  trouble,  the 
spines  being  then  much  less  obdurate  than  when  green.  The  mature  fruit  is  of  a 
deep,  dull,  coppery  red  color,  and  in  flavor  is  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  of  the 
red  varieties  which  I  have  eaten  in  England.  I  have  often  wondered  whether 
cultivation  might  not  remove  the  spines  from  the  berries,  or,  that  failing,  whether 
a  seedling  could  not  be  raised  from  them  which  would  give  us  a  berry  far  more 
reliable  than  any  good  gooseberry  we  now  have.  The  scorching  sun  of  the  long, 
dry  season  of  California  seemed  to  have  no  effect  on  the  foliage,  and  in  five  years' 
experience  I  never  found  a  mildewed  berry. 

"The  berry  is  round,  like  the  red  English  berries,  instead  of  ellipsoid,  like 
their  white  or  golden  ones. 

"  There  is  also  another  variety,  hairy  instead  of  spiny,  about  the  size  of  your 
picture  of  the  Downing ;  bush  not  so  free  a  grower,  rarely  reaching  two  feet,  and 
the  berry,  to  my  taste,  much  inferior.  Tastes,  however,  differ,  and  it  may  be  the 
more  promising  fruit. 

"  Both  varieties  are  common  throughout  the  eastern  end  of  El  Dorado, 
Placer,  and  Nevada  counties." 

The  first-named,  or  thorny  gooseberry,  probably  belongs  to  the  Ribes 
Cynosbati,  and  the  latter  to  the  R.  Rotundifolium.  The  writer  is  correct 
in  thinking  that,  if  such  gooseberries  are  growing  wild,  cultivation  and 
selection  could  secure  vast  improvements.  When  we  remember  that 
English  gardeners  started  with  a  native  species  inferior  to  ours,  we  are  led 
to  believe  that  effort  and  skill  like  theirs  will  here  be  rewarded  by  kinds  as 
superb,  and  as  perfectly  adapted  to  our  climate. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 


DISEASES    AND    INSECT    ENEMIES     OF    SMALL    FRUITS. 


"VTATURE  is  very  impartial.  It  is  evidently  her  intention  that  we 
1M  shall  enjoy  all  the  fruits  for  which  we  are  willing  to  pay  her  price, 
in  work,  care  or  skill ;  but  she  seems  equally  bent  on  supplying  the 
hateful  white  grub  with  strawberry  roots,  and  currant  worms  with  succu- 
lent foliage.  Indeed,  it  might  even  appear  that  she  had  a  leaning 
toward  her  small  children,  no  matter  how  pestiferous  they  are.  At  any 
rate,  under  the  present  order  of  things,  lordly  man  is  often  their  servant, 
and  they  reap  the  reward  of  his  labors. 

Did  not  Nature  stumble  a  little  when  man  fell  ?  She  manages  to 
keep  on  the  right  side  of  the  poets  and  painters ;  for  it  would  seem 
that  they  see  her  only  when  in  moods  that  are  smiling,  serious  or 
grand.  The  scientist,  too,  she  beguiles,  by  showing  under  the  micro- 
scope how  exquisitely  she  has  fashioned  some  little  embodiment  of  evil 
that  may  be  the  terror  of  a  province,  or  the  scourge  of  a  <icntinent  While 
the  learned  man  is  explaining  how  wonderfully  its  minute  organs  are 
formed,  for  mastication,  assimilation,  procreation,  etc.,  practical  people,  who 
have  their  bread  to  earn,  are  impatiently  wishing  that  the  whole  genus 
was  under  their  heels,  confident  that  the  organs  would  become  still 
more  minute. 

The  horticulturist  should  be  cast  in  heroic  mold,  for  he  not  only  must 
bear  his  part  in  the  fight  with  moral  wrong,  like  other  men,  but  must 
also  cope  with  vegetable  and  insect  evil.  Weeds,  bugs,  worms  —  what 


232 


Diseases  and  Insect  Enemies  of  Small  Fruits.  233 

hateful  little  vices  many  of  them  seem  in  nature !  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
thought  indiscriminate.  Many  insects  are  harmless  and  beautiful ;  and,  if 
harmless,  no  one  can  object  if  they  are  not  pretty.  Not  a  few  are  very 
useful,  as,  for  instance,  the  little  parasite  of  the  cabbage  worm.  There 
is  need  of  a  general  and  unremitting  crusade  against  our  insect  enemies  ; 
but  it  should  be  a  discriminating  war,  for  it  is  downright  cruelty  to  kill 
a  harmless  creature,  however  small.  Still,  there  are  many  pests  that, 
like  certain  forms  of  evil,  will  destroy  if  not  destroyed  ;  and  they  have 
brought  disaster  and  financial  ruin  to  multitudes. 

Mark  Tapley  hit  upon  the  true  philosophy  of  life,  and  it  is  usually 
possible  to  take  a  cheerful  view  of  everything ;  such  a  view  I  suggest 
to  the  reader,  in  regard  to  the  pests  of  the  garden  that  often  lead  us 
into  sympathy  with  the  man  who  wished  that  there  was  "a  form  of 
sound  words  in  the  Prayer-Book  which  might  be  used  in  cases  of  great 
provocation."  Under  the  present  order  of  things,  skill,  industry,  and 
prompt,  vigilant  action  are  rewarded.  Humanity's  besetting  sin  is  lazi- 
ness ;  but  weeds  and  insects,  for  months  together,  make  this  vice  well- 
nigh  impossible,  save  to  those  who  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  live  on  the 
industry  of  others.  Therefore,  though  our  fruits  often  suffer,  men  are 
developed,  and  made  more  patient,  energetic,  resolute,  persevering — in 
brief,  more  manly.  Put  the  average  man  into  a  garden  where  there  were  no 
vegetable  diseases,  insects  and  weeds  to  cope  with,  and  he  himself  would 
become  a  weed.  Moreover,  it  would  seem  that  in  those  regions  where 
Nature  hinders  men  as  much  as  she  helps  them,  they  are  all  the  better 
for  their  difficulties,  and  their  gardens  also.  Such  skill  and  energy  are 
developed  that  not  only  are  the  horticultural  enemies  vanquished,  but 
they  are  often  made  the  means  of  a  richer  and  a  fuller  success. 

In  a  valuable  paper  read  before  the  New  Jersey  State  Horticultural 
Society,  and  recently  published  in  the  American  Entomologist,  Mr.  A. 
S.  Fuller  makes  the  following  useful  suggestions : 


"  Insects  and  diseases  are  frequently  so  closely  united,  or  so  dependent  upon 
each  other,  that  the  naturalist  often  finds  it  difficult  to  determine  to  which  the 
fruit  grower  should  attribute  his  losses.  Some  species  of  insects  attack  only  dis- 
eased or  dead  plants ;  others  only  the  living  and  healthy.  If  a  plant  shows  signs 
of  failing,  we  are  inclined  to  speak  of  it  as  being  diseased,  whether  the  failure  is 
caused  by  a  lack  of  some  element  in  the  soil,  attacks  of  parasitic  fungi,  or 
noxious  insects.  The  loss  is  the  same  in  the  end,  whether  from  one  or  all  of  these 
enemies  combined. 

"  There  are  two  practical  methods  of  combating  insect  enemies  and  diseases  of 
plants ;  one  is  to  so  carefully  cultivate  and  stimulate  the  growth  of  the  plants 
30 


234  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

that  they  may  possess  the  power  of  resisting  attack;  the  other  is  to  make  war 
directly  upon  them  by  artificial  means.  Of  course,  the  first  method  is  most 
applicable  or  practicable  against  the  more  minute  species,  such  as  the  plant-lice, 
rust,  smut  and  mildew.  I  do  not  recommend  forcing  plants  to  extremes,  in  order 
to  enable  them  to  resist  their  enemies,  as  this  might  work  an  irreparable  injury  ;  but 
the  condition  to  be  aimed  at  should  be  a  healthy,  vigorous  growth ;  for,  anything 
beyond  this  is  more  the  sign  of  weakness  than  strength. 

"  The  half-starved,  overworked  and  uncared-for  horse  is  sure,  sooner  or  later, 
to  become  the  prey  of  various  kinds  of  internal  and  external  parasites,  which  are 
thrown  off,  or  successfully  resisted  in  their  attacks,  by  the  healthy,  vigorous  and  well- 
fed  animal ;  and  the  same  principle  holds  good  all  through  the  animal  and  vegetable 
kingdoms — whether  the  subject  be  a  man,  horse,  sturdy  oak,  or  delicate  strawberry 
plant.  Not  that  all  diseases  are  due  to  loss  of  vigor  through  starvation  and  neglect ; 
but  that  a  large  number  of  them  are  is  well  known." 


STRAWBERRIES. 

We  all  have  seen  these  principles  verified.  In  the  Great  American 
strawberry,  I  think,  we  have  an  example  of  feebleness  resulting  from 
over-stimulation.  The  Wilson  Seedling,  that,  in  the  local  vernacular,  is 
sometimes  said  to  be  "  running  out,"  is,  in  contrast,  the  consequence  of 
starvation,  neglect,  and  long-continued  propagation  from  poor,  mixed 
stock.  Feebleness  can  scarcely  be  called  a  disease,  and  yet  it  is  best 
counteracted  by  the  tonic  treatment  suggested  by  Mr.  Fuller. 

In  loose,  light  soils,  the  Aphis,  or  Green  Fly,  often  penetrates  to  the 
roots  of  strawberry  plants  in  immense  numbers,  and  they  suck  away  life 
or  vitality.  The  tonic  of  wood  ashes  scattered  over  the  rows  will  usually 
destroy  the  pests.  Refuse  from  the  tobacco  factory  is  also  recommended. 

I  think  that  wood  ashes  and  bone  dust  are  excellent  preventives  of 
burning  or  sun-scalding.  They  give  the  plants  such  vigor  that  they  are 
able  to  resist  sudden  or  great  climatic  changes,  from  heat  to  cold,  or  from 
drought  to  moisture. 

Many  varieties  are  enfeebled  by  their  disposition  to  run  profusely. 
Kerr's  Prolific,  for  example,  will  speedily  sod  the  ground  w'th  small,  puny 
plants,  whose  foliage  will  burn  so  badly  that  the  fruit  can  scarcely  mature. 
Set  out  these  small  plants,  and  give  the  tonic  treatment  of  cutting  off  all 
runners,  and  large,  bushy  stools,  with  vigorous  foliage  and  superb  fruit,  will 
result.  Indeed,  next  to  fertilizers  and  moisture,  there  is  nothing  that  so 
enhances  the  vigor  and  productiveness  of  a  plant  as  clipping  the  runners 
as  fast  as  they  appear.  The  uncurbed  habit  of  running  depletes  almost 
like  disease;  and  but  few  varieties  will  make  large  fruit  buds  and  runners 
at  the  same  time. 


Strawberries.  235 

In  close,  wet  weather,  the  fruit  and  leaf-stalks  will  sometimes  suffer 
from  mildew ;  and  occasionally  a  microscopic  fungi,  known  as  the  straw- 
berry brand,  will  attack  the  foliage.  I  have  also  seen,  in  a  few  instances, 
a  disease  that  resembled  the  curl-leaf  in  raspberries.  The  plants  were 
dwarfed,  foliage  wrinkled  and  rusty,  and  fruit  misshapen,  like  small,  gnarly 
apples.  In  all  such  instances  I  believe  in  tonic  treatment,  of  wood 
ashes,  bone  dust,  guano,  and  fertilizers  of  like  nature,  used  with  care. 
Plants  do  not  need  over-doses  or  over-feeding  any  more  than  we  do 
ourselves.  When  a  few  plants  are  diseased,  I  believe  in  rigorously  rooting 
them  out  and  burning  them.  If  a  field  is  affected,  as  soon  as  possible  turn 
the  plants  under,  and  renovate  the  land  with  clover,  buckwheat,  a  light 
dressing  of  lime,  and  thorough  exposure  to  the  air,  light  and  frost.  By 
such  methods,  and  a  wise  selection  of  fertilizers,  I  believe  that  strawberries 
can  be  raised  on  the  same  ground  for  centuries.  My  plants  have  always 
been  exceptionally  free  from  all  kinds  of  disease  or  rust,  and  I  attribute  it 
to  the  liberal  use  of  wood  ashes. 

But  there  is  one  enemy  that  inspires  me  with  fear  and  unmingled 
disgust.  It  is  the  type  of  a  certain  phase  of  character  in  society  most 
difficult  to  deal  with,  and  which  the  mantle  of  charity  is  rarely  broad  enough 
to  cover — the  stupidly  and  stolidly  malignant,  who  have  just  sense  enough 
to  do  a  great  deal  of  mischief,  and  to  keep  it  hidden  until  too  late  for 
remedy.  Science  has  dignified  the  detestable  thing  with  a  sonorous  name, 
as  usual — the  Lachnosterna  Fusca ;  already  referred  to.  It  does  not 
deserve  even  its  name  in  the  common  vernacular — White  Grub ;  for,  its 
white  is  of  a  dingy  hue,  and  its  head  dark,  like  its  deeds.  Has  it  a  redeem- 
ing trait  ?  "  Give  the  de'il  his  due,"  says  the  proverb.  The  best  I  can  say 
of  the  white  grub  is,  that  crows,  and  an  odorous  animal  I  forbear  to  name, 
are  very  fond  of  it.  This  fact,  I  think,  is  its  sole  virtue,  its  one  entry  on 
the  credit  side ;  but  there  is  a  long,  dark  score  against  it.  Of  its  havoc 
on  the  lawn  and  farm  I  will  not  speak,  since  it  is  sufficient  for  our  pur- 
poses to  state  that  it  is  the  strawberry's  worst  foe. 

The  best  method  of  circumventing  the  "  varmint "  is  to  learn  its 
ways ;  and,  therefore,  I  shall  outline  its  history,  beginning  at  a  period  in  its 
being  when  stupidity  predominates  over  its  evil — that  is,  when  it  is  the 
May  beetle  or  June  bug,  that  blunders  and  bumps  around  in  utter  disre- 
gard of  itself  and  every  one  else.  In  this  stage  it  is  like  the  awkward 
village  loafer,  quiet  by  day,  but  active  and  obtrusive  in  the  early  evening. 
It  dislikes  honest  sunshine,  but  is  attracted  by  artificial  light,  at 
which  it  precipitates  itself  with  the  same  lack  of  sense  and  reason  that 
marks  the  loafer's  gravitation  toward  a  lighted  groggery.  Moreover,  in 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


the  beetle  phase,  it  is  sure  to  appear  at  the  most  inopportune  times  and 
unsuitable  places,  creating  the  inevitable  commotion  which  the  blunderer 
and  tactless  are  born  to  make.  As  it  whisks  aimlessly  around,  it  may  hit 
the  clergyman's  nose  in  the  most  pathetic  sentence  of  his  sermon,  or  drop 
into  the  soprano's  mouth  at  the  supreme  climax  of  her  trill.  Satan  him- 
self could  scarcely  produce  a  more  complete  absence  of  devotion  than  is 
often  caused  by  these  brainless  creatures. 

Because  quiet  by  day,  they  are  not  out  of  mischief,  as  defoliated  trees 

often  prove.  As 
midsummer  ap- 
proaches, they  die 
off ;  but  never 
until  each  female 
beetle  has  put 
into  the  ground 
about  two  hun- 
dred eggs,  which 
never  fail  to  hatch. 
The  first  year,  the 
grubs  are  little, 
and,  while  they 
do  all  the  harm 
they  can,  the 
small  roots  they 
destroy  are  not 
seriously  missed 
by  the  plants. 
The  second  year, 
their  ability  keeps 
pace  with  their 
disposition,  and 
they  occasionally 
destroy  straw- 
berries by  the  acre.  More  often,  certain  patches  of  a  field  or  garden  are 
infested,  and  sometimes  will  be  kept  bare  of  plants  in  spite  of  all  one  can 
do.  Too  often,  the  presence  of  the  grub  is  learned  only  after  the  mischief 
is  complete.  You  may  have  petted  a  strawberry  plant  for  a  year,  and 
after  it  has  developed  into  noble  proportions,  and  awakened  the  best 
expectations  from  its  load  of  immature  fruit,  you  will,  perhaps,  find  it 
wilting  some  morning.  You  then  learn,  for  the  first  time,  that  this 


The  White  Grub.     ( ' Lachnosterna  Fusca.) 


Remedies.  237 

insidious  enemy  has  been  at  work  for  days,  and  that  not  a  root  is  left 
An  inch  or  two  beneath  the  dying  plant,  the  grub  lies  gorged  and  quiet 
in  the  early  morning ;  but,  if  undisturbed,  it  soon  seeks  the  next  best 
plant  it  can  find,  and  it  is  so  voracious  that  it  is  hard  to  compute  the 
number  it  can  destroy  throughout  the  long  season  in  which  it  works. 

Having  made  its  full  growth  in  the  spring  of  the  third  year,  this  grub 
passes  into  the  chrysalis  state,  and  in  May  or  June  comes  out  a  perfect 
insect,  or  beetle.  It  is  "  one,  two,  three,  and  out." 

While  there  are  beetles  every  year,  there  is,  in  every  locality,  a  special 
crop  every  third  year ;  in  other  words,  if  we  observe  beetles  in  great 
numbers  during  the  coming  May  and  June,  we  may  expect  them  again  in 
like  quantities  three  years  after,  and  every  second  year  from  such  super- 
abundance they  will  be  very  destructive  in  all  those  fields  throughout  the 
locality  wherein  the  eggs  were  laid. 

REMEDIES. 

When  once  our  soil  is  full  of  them,  scarcely  any  remedy  is 
possible  that  year.  Surface  applications  that  would  kill  the  grubs  would 
also  kill  the  plants.  Where  they  are  few  and  scattering,  they  can  be  dug 
out  and  killed.  Sometimes,  boys  are  paid  so  much  a  pint.  When  seeing 
a  wilting  plant,  it  would  scarcely  be  human  nature  not  to  dig  out  the  pest, 
and  grind  it  under  our  heel.  Prevention  of  the  evil  is  usually  our  best 
hope.  Mr.  Downing  writes  to  me :  "  I  believe  that  if  you  would  use 
refuse  salt  three  or  four  years  in  succession,  at  the  rate  of  five  or  six 
bushels  to  the  acre,  the  grubs  would  not  trouble  you  much.  Salt  will  not 
kill  the  full-grown  larvae,  but  those  in  a  very  young  state."  The  reader 
will  remember  a  statement  in  Mr.  Hale's  letter  on  commercial  fertilizers 
confirmatory  of  this  view. 

Experiments  in  this  direction  should  be  carefully  made,  since,  in  one 
instance  that  I  am  aware  of,  a  fruit  grower  remarked,  "  I  do  not  know 
whether  the  salt  killed  the  grubs,  but  I  know  it  killed  my  plants."  It  is 
my  purpose,  however,  to  try  this  agent  very  thoroughly.  There  is 
danger  of  our  being  misled  in  our  estimate  of  the  value  of  remedies, 
from  forgetfulness  of  the  habits  of  the  insect.  We  find  our  ground  full  of 
larvae  one  year,  and  apply  some  cure  or  preventive.  The  following 
spring,  the  larvae  become  beetles  and  fly  away,  and,  even  if  they  fill  the 
same  ground  with  eggs  again,  the  grubs  are  too  small  to  be  noticed  that 
year ;  and  therefore  we  may  claim  that  our  remedy  is  effectual,  when  there 
may  have  been  no  effect  from  it  whatever. 


. 

238  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

One  of  the  best  preventives  is  to  keep  the  soil  under  cultivation, 
for  this  beetle  rarely  lays  its  eggs  in  loose  soil,  preferring  old  meadows  and 
moist,  loamy,  sodded  land  :  the  larvae  are  equally  fond  of  grass  roots. 
This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  a  year  or  two  of  cultivation  must  often 
precede  the  planting  of  strawberries.  When  this  fruit  is  grown  in  matted 
beds,  they  afford  as  attractive  a  place  for  the  deposit  of  eggs  as  grass  land, 
and  this  is  another  fact  in  favor  of  the  narrow  row  system  and  thorough 
cultivation. 

Mr.  Caywood,  a  nurseryman,  says  that  he  has  prevented  the  approach 
of  the  grub  by  mixing  a  tea-spoonful  of  sulphur  in  the  soil  just  beneath  a 
plant,  when  setting  it  out.  Mr.  Peter  B.  Mead  recommends  the  pomace 
of  the  castor  bean  spread  on  the  surface  around  the  plants.  I  have  never 
tried  these  preventives.  One  thing  certainly  might  be  done — extermi- 
nating war  might  be  waged  on  the  beetles.  In  the  morning,  they  are 
sluggish,  and  easily  caught;  and  in  the  evening,  we  can  treat  them  as 
whisky  venders  do  the  loafers — burn  them  up.  "Every  female  beetle 
killed  heads  off  200  grubs."  If  one  could  discover  a  complete  remedy  for 
this  pest,  he  would  deserve  a  statue  in  bronze.  Mr.  Fuller  had  a  domesti- 
cated crow  that  would  eat  a  hundred  of  these  grubs  daily.  "  When  domesti- 
cated," he  adds,  "  the  crow  forgets  the  tricks  of  his  wild  nature,  and,  not 
being  a  timid  bird,  he  is  not  frightened  by  hoe  or  spade,  but  when  the 
earth  is  turned  over,  is  generally  there  to  see  and  do  his  duty." 

A  fruit  grower  writes  to  Professor  C.  V.  Riley  :  "  I  inclose  specimens  of 
a  terrible  pest  on  my  strawberry  vines.  The  leaves  are  almost  entirely  des- 
troyed. I  must  fight  them  some  way,  or  else  give  up  the  fruit  entirely," 
etc.  In  a  letter  to  the  New  York  Tribune,  Professor  Riley  replied  : 

"  The  insect  referred  to  is  the  Strawberry  Worm  (Emphytus  Maculatus),  the 
larvae  of  a  saw-fly,  which  is  of  quite  frequent  occurrence  in  the  West.  I  quote  the 
following  account  of  it  from  my  Ninth  Report : 

"  Early  in  the  Spring,  numerous  flies  may  be  seen  hanging  to  and  flying  about 
the  vines,  in  fields  which  have  been  previously  affected.  They  are  dull  and 
inactive  in  the  cool  of  the  morning  and  evening,  and  at  these  nours  are  seldom 
noticed.  They  are  of  a  pitchy  black  color,  with  two  rows  of  large,  transverse,  dull 
whitish  spots  upon  the  abdomen.  The  female,  with  the  saw-like  instrument  peculiar 
to  the  insects  of  this  family,  deposits  her  eggs,  by  a  most  curious  and  interesting 
process,  in  the  stems  of  the  plants,  clinging  the  while  to  the  hairy  substance  by 
which  these  stems  are  covered. 

"  The  eggs  are  white,  opaque,  and  0.03  of  an  inch  long,  and  may  be  readily 
perceived  upon  splitting  the  stalk,  though  the  outside  orifice  at  which  they  were  intro- 
duced is  scarcely  visible.  They  soon  increase  somewhat  in  bulk,  causing  a  swelling 
of  the  stalk,  and  hatch  in  two  weeks, — more  or  less,  according  to  the  temperature, — 


Remedies.  239 

and,  during  the  early  part  of  May,  the  worms  attract  attention  by  the  innumerable 
small  holes  they  make  in  the  leaves.  Their  colors  are  dirty  yellow  and  gray  green, 
and  when  not  feeding,  they  rest  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaf,  curled  up  in  a  spiral 
manner,  the  tail  occupying  the  center,  and  fall  to  the  ground  at  the  slightest  dis- 
turbance. After  changing  their  skin  four  times,  they  become  fully  grown,  when  they 
measure  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch. 

"At  this  season,  they  descend  into  the  ground,  and  form  a  weak  cocoon  of  earth; 
the  inside  being  made  smooth  by  a  sort  of  gum.  In  this  they  soon  change  to  pupae, 
from  which  are  produced  a  second  breed  of  flies  by  the  end  of  June  and  beginning  of 
July.  Under  the  influence  of  July  weather,  the  whole  process  of  egg  depositing,  etc., 
is  rapidly  repeated,  and  the  second  brood  of  worms  descend  into  the  earth  during 
the  fore  part  of  August,  and  form  their  cocoons ;  in  which  they  remain  in  the  cater- 
pillar state  through  the  fall,  winter,  and  early  spring  months,  till  the  middle  of  April 
following,  when  they  become  pupae  and  flies  again,  as  related. 

"  The  remedy  is  the  same  as  that  employed  against  the  currant  worm,  which 
belongs  to  the  same  family.  It  consists  of  white  hellebore,  used  either  in  powder  or 
liquid." 

I  think  that  tobacco  dust  or  a  strong  decoction  from  the  stems  would 
prove  effective,  also. 

I  have  never  had  any  experience  with  this  worm,  but  have  read 
of  instances  in  which  fields  had  been  entirely  cleared  of  the  pest  by 
young  chickens  and  turkeys. 

The  common  little  flea-beetle  has  often  caused  great  injury  to  my 
recently  planted  beds.  I  once  paid  nearly  $100  for  a  new,  high-priced 
variety,  and  before  I  was  aware  of  it,  every  plant  had  been  devoured. 
They  rarely  injure  large,  fully  matured  plants,  but  are  often  very  destruct- 
ive to  those  recently  planted,  especially  if  set  during  the  summer.  You 
cannot  catch  them ;  for,  as  your  hand  approaches  a  leaf  on  which  they 
cluster,  they  scatter  with  a  sudden  bound,  and  are  at  once  lost  to  view, 
so  nearly  do  they  resemble  the  color  of  the  ground.  Slight  dustings 
of  dry  wood  ashes  impede  their  feeding  somewhat ;  but  I  think  we  must 
cope  with  this  insect  as  we  do  with  the  Colorado  or  potato  beetle.  It  must 
be  poisoned.  Paris  green,  of  course,  will  finish  them  speedily,  but  such 
a  deadly  poison  must  be  used  with  great  care,  and  if  there  is  any  green 
or  ripe  fruit  on  the  vines,  not  used  at  all.  Hellebore,  London  purple, 
tobacco  dust,  may  destroy  them ;  and  when  little  chickens  can  be 
employed,  they  are  a  sure  remedy. 

"  Black  eyes,"  or  the  receptacle  turning  black,  is  caused  by  light 
frosts,  to  which  the  open  flowers  are  very  susceptible.  If  one's  straw- 
berry bed  were  in  bloom,  and  there  was  a  prospect  of  a  frosty  night, 
I  think  the  blossoms  could  be  saved  by  covering  the  bed  with  four  or 


240  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

five    inches  of  straw  or    hay,  and    raking    it  off  again    as   soon   as  the 
temperature  rose  sufficiently  high  in  the  morning. 

Without  doubt,  new  diseases  and  enemies  to  the  strawberry  will  be 
developed  in  the  future,  and  as  they  come  we  must  experiment  till  we 
find  some  means  of  mastering  them. 


RASPBERRIES   AND   BLACKBERRIES. 

These  two  fruits  are  so  near  akin  that  they  are  subject  to  the 
attacks  of  the  same  diseases  and  enemies.  The  most  fatal  scourge  of 
red  raspberries  that  I  have  seen  is  what  is  called  at  Marlboro'  the 
curl-leaf,  and,  if  unchecked,  it  will  eventually  banish  the  famous  Hudson 
River  Antwerp  from  cultivation.  As  yet,  no  remedy  has  been  found 
for  it  that  I  am  aware  of.  I  believe  it  to  be  contagious,  and  would 
advise  that  the  plants  be  dug  out  and  burned  immediately,  and  that 
plantations  of  strong,  healthy  plants  be  made  on  new  land  that  has 
never  been  in  raspberries.  I  also  suggest  the  free  use  of  wood  ashes  and 
well-decayed  compost.  As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  this  disease  is 
confined  to  foreign  varieties,  and  almost  wholly,  as  yet,  to  the  Antwerps. 

Mr.  Fuller,  in  the  paper  already  named,  describes  a  disease  among 
blackberries  that  resembles  the  raspberry  curl-leaf  so  closely  that  it  may 
be  identical,  and  spring  from  the  same  cause. 

"  Some  ten  years  ago,  the  cultivators  of  the  blackberry  in  various  parts  of  New 
Jersey  noticed  that  the  ends  of  the  young,  growing  canes,  in  summer,  would  occa- 
sionally curl,  twist  about,  and  often  assume  a  singular,  fasciated  form,  resulting  in 
an  entire  check  to  their  growth.  The  leaves  on  these  infested  shoots  did  not  die 
and  fall  off,  but  merely  curled  up,  sometimes  assuming  a  deeper  green  than 
the  healthy  leaves  on  the  same  stalk.  At  the  approach  of  winter,  the  infested 
leaves  remained  firmly  attached  to  the  diseased  stems ;  and  all  through  the  cold 
weather,  and  far  into  the  spring,  these  leaf-laden  and  diseased  s-t£ins  were  a  con- 
spicuous object  in  many  of  the  blackberry  plantations  of  this  State. 

"  If  the  infested  shoots  are  examined  in  summer,  thousands  of  minute  insects,  of 
a  pale  yellow  color,  and  covered  with  a  powdery  exudation,  will  be  found  sucking 
the  juices  of  the  succulent  stem  and  leaves,  causing  the  crimping,  curling,  and  twist- 
ing of  these  parts  as  described. 

"  This  parasite  resembles  somewhat  an  ordinary  green-fly  (Aphis)  or  plant-louse ; 
but,  according  to  the  observations  of  Professor  Riley,  it  belongs  to  the  closely  allied 
Flea-lice  family  (Psyttida),  distinguished  from  the  plant-lice  by  a  different  veining 
of  the  wings,  and  by  the  antennae  being  knobbed  at  the  tip,  like  those  of  the 
butterfly,  the  knob  usually  terminating  in  two  bristles.  These  insects  jump  as 


Raspberries  and  Blackberries.  241 

briskly  as  a  flea,  from  which  characteristic  they  derive  their  scientific  name.  The 
particular  species  in  question  was  called  by  Professor  Riley  the  '  Bramble- Flea-louse 
(Psylla  rubi* )]  in  the  American  Entomologist  (Vol.  I.,  p.  225).  It  has  increased 
rapidly  during  the  past  half  dozen  years  or  more,  and  unless  fruit  growers  make  a  more 
vigorous  fight  than  they  have  yet  done,  it  will  soon  get  the  mastery  of  many  black- 
berry plantations.  The  only  practical  method  as  yet  discovered  for  checking  the 
ravages  of  this  insect,  is,  to  cut  off  the  ends  of  the  infested  canes  and  burn  them. 
This  operation  should  always  be  performed  either  in  the  morning  or  during  cool, 
wet  weather,  else  many  of  the  insects  will  escape ;  and  at  all  times  the  severed 
shoots  should  be  immediately  dropped  into  bags,  and  in  them  carried  to  the  place 
where  they  are  to  be  burned,  and  there  emptied  into  the  fire.  If  every  one  having 
blackberry  bushes  in  their  gardens  would  practice  this  method  of  destruction,  this 
pest  would  soon  cease  to  do  much  harm." 

There  are  species  of  borers  and  gall  insects  that  attack  these  two 
fruits,  but  as  yet  they  have  not  become  formidable.  All  infested  canes 
should  be  cut  out  and  burned  with  their  contents,  or  else  the  pests  may  so 
increase  as  to  cause  much  injury. 

The  larvae  of  the  Selandria  rubiy  an  insect  nearly  related  to  the 
imported  currant  worm,  and  known  as  the  raspberry  saw-fly,  is 
destructive  in  some  regions.  It  is  semi-transparent,  and  so  like  the  foliage 
in  color  that  it  could  scarcely  be  detected,  did  not  the  ragged,  perforated 
leaves  indicate  both  its  presence  and  its  mischief.  This  worm  measures 
half  an  inch  in  length,  when  fully  developed.  It  has  two  black  eyes  —  like 
spots,  upon  a  green  head,  and  usually  a  slightly  fuzzy  body.  The  remedies 
recommended  are  the  same  as  those  used  against  the  currant  worm.  I 
have  had  no  experience  with  this  pest. 

The  Orange-rust  (Uredo  rubrum)  is  one  of  the  worst  of  foes  to  both 
the  blackberry  and  raspberry;  the  Rubus  Occidentalis,  or  black-cap  family, 
suffering  the  most,  usually.  I  have  seen  fields  of  the  Early  Wilson  and 
Kittatinny  blackberries,  in  New  Jersey,  that  presented  a  melancholy 
appearance.  It  is  believed  to  be  very  contagious,  and  it  can  be  spread 
by  both  trimmer  and  pickers.  Mr.  Chas.  A.  Green,  of  Monroe  county, 
N.  Y.,  writes :  "  The  end  plant  of  a  row  in  my  garden  was  affected,  and  I 
let  it  remain,  as  an  experiment.  In  three  years,  nearly  every  plant  in  the 
row  was  more  or  less  diseased.  We  have  tried  picking  the  leaves  and 
cutting  back  the  canes,  without  relief,,  and  have  found  that  the  only  safe 
method  is  to  dig  out  and  destroy  all  affected  plants  without  delay."  Mr. 
Fuller  says  that,  "  application  of  lime,  salt,  or  some  similar  substance,  may 
check  the  disease ;  but  I  know  of  no  remedy  except  that  of  rooting  up 

'  "  It  cannot  be  distinguished  /rom  Psylla  tripunctata,  Fitch  (Catalogue  of  Homoptera,  etc. ),  and,  what  is  most  singular, 
the  same  species  is  very  common  on  pine-trees  all  over  the  eastern  part  of  the  continent,  from  Florida  to  Canada." 

31 


242  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

every  affected  plant,  and  burning  it."  Mr.  Downing  recommends  the 
same  course.  It  is  one  of  those  evils  that  should  be  stamped  out  at  once. 
If  a  plantation  were  generally  affected  with  this  yellow  symbol  of 
contagion,  it  would  be  well  to  destroy  all  the  plants,  and,  obtaining  new, 
healthful  stock  from  a  distance,  start  again  on  different  grounds.  Should 
the  snowy  tree-cricket  become  very  abundant,  it  might  cause  much  injury, 
chiefly  by  cutting  off  the  leaves,  as  the  ordinary  cut- worm  serves  the 
stem  of  a  young  plant. 


CURRANTS   AND    GOOSEBERRIES. 

We  have  not  only  imported  our  best  currants  from  Europe,  but 
also  their  worst  enemies.  The  most  formidable  of  these  is  popularly 
known  as  the  currant  worm.  Robert  Thompson,  the  English  authority, 
thus  describes  it :  "  The  magpie- moth  (abraxas  grossulariata)  deposits 
its  eggs  upon  the  foliage,  and  from  them  is  hatched  a  slightly  hairy 
cream- colored  caterpillar,  spotted  with  black,  and  marked  with  orange 
along  the  sides,  and  which  forms  a  loop  in  walking.  It  feeds 
upon  the  leaves,  devouring  all  but  the  petiole,  and  often  entirely  defoli- 
ating both  gooseberry  and  currant  bushes.  It  changes  into  a  pupa  in 
May  or  June,  and  in  about  three  weeks  afterward,  the  perfect  insect  makes 
its  appearance."  Very  naturally,  this  currant  worm  made  its  debut  near 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  a  great  fruit  center,  receiving  annually  large  importa- 
tions of  plants.  Its  first  appearance  was  in  1857.  For  illustration,  see 
page  243. 

In  England,  the  caterpillar  of  the  Phalcena-vanaria,  a  similar  insect, 
is  often  destructive.  Whether  it  has  appeared  among  us  yet,  I  am  not 
informed.  They  fight  it  abroad  as  they  do  the  ordinary  worm. 

The  gooseberry  and  currant  saw-fly  (Nematus-ribesii),  another  pestif- 
erous foreigner,  has  made  its  appearance  in  some  localities. 

We  have,  besides,  a  native  saw-fly  (Pristiphera  grossuiarice),  which 
resembles  its  European  congener,  and  emulates  it  in  mischief.  The  larva 
of  this  fly  feeds  upon  both  the  currant  and  the  gooseberry,  but  prefers 
the  latter. 

Nature  is  liberal,  and  has  given  us,  in  addition,  a  native  gooseberry 
span-worm,  the  larva  of  a  small  moth.  These  several  worms,  unchecked, 
would  soon  render  the  culture  of  the  currant  and  gooseberry  impossible 
in  the  regions  where  they  abounded;  and,  at  first,  horticulturists  were 
almost  in  despair,  for  the  pests  seemed  proof  against  the  usual  insecticides 


Currants  and  Gooseberries. 


243 


Currant  Worm  and  Moth. — Cherry  Currants. 

and  means  of  destruction.  It  was  eventually  discovered  that  powdered 
white  hellebore  was  a  specific  remedy.  Usually,  it  is  applied  unmixed 
with  other  substances ;  and  pains  should  be  taken  to  get  a  genuine  article, 
or  else  it  will  not  destroy  the  worms. 


244  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Mr.  H.  T.  Jones,  of  Rochester,  recommends  the  following : 

"  To  one  pailful  of  wood  ashes,  add  one  quart  each  of  white  hellebore  and  flowers 
of  sulphur ;  mix  thoroughly ;  apply  by  sifting  on  the  bushes  while  the  dew  is  on 
them.  I  used  nothing  else  on  my  plantation  of  over  two  acres  last  season,  and  want 
nothing  better ;  but  it  must  be  used  daily  as  long  as  any  worms  are  seen." 

I  have  heard  that,  if  applied  in  a  liquid  form,  a  heaping  table-spoonful 
of  hellebore  to  a  gallon  .of  water  is  a  good  proportion. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  it  was  stated  by 
good  authorities,  as  the  result  of  actual  experience,  that  tobacco  dust  would 
kill  the  worms  as  readily  as  hellebore.  I  hope  this  is  true,  since  the  latter 
is  expensive  when  applied  on  a  large  scale,  and  the  tobacco  dust  can  be 
bought  at  from  two  dollars  to  three  dollars  per  barrel.  I  shall  try  it  next 
year. 

I  also  quote  the  following  from  a  recent  editorial  by  Mr.  Fuller,  in  the 
New  York  Weekly  Sun  : 

"  White  hellebore  has  long  been  considered  one  of  the  most  efficacious  of  all 
poisons  for  the  imported  currant  worm,  but  a  New  Jersey  fruit  grower  of  considerable 
experience  informed  us  not  long  ago,  that  he  had  found  strong  tobacco  water  quite 
as  good  as  the  hellebore,  and  it  was  also  soon  washed  off  by  heavy  rains,  whereby 
the  fruit  was  not  rendered  unfit  for  use,  as  when  other  and  more  virulent  poisons 
are  employed.  To  make  a  strong  solution,  put  a  half-bushel  or  bushel  of  tobacco 
stems,  or  even  the  leaves,  into  a  cask  or  barrel,  and  press  down  and  hold  in  place 
with  a  stone  or  other  weight ;  then  pour  on  hot  water  enough  to  cover  the  tobacco, 
and  leave  it  for  a  few  days  to  steep.  After  steeping,  the  cask  may  be  filled  up  with 
warm  or  cold  water,  and  the  solution  is  ready  for  use.  If  a  half-pound  or  pound  of 
crude  potash  is  added,  or  a  quart  or  two  of  soft  soap  is  stirred  in,  the  solution  will  be 
much  improved,  especially  in  its  destructive  properties.  After  using  the  first  liquid, 
the  barrels  may  be  filled  again  with  water,  and  left  to  steep  a  few  days  longer  than 
the  first  time,  or  some  fresh  tobacco  may  be  added,  to  give  the  solution  the  required 
strength.  Tobacco  water  is  certainly  a  cheap  insecticide,  and  will  frequently  be 
found  quite  as  efficacious  as  those  that  are  more  costly  and  troublesome  to  apply." 

A  gentleman  from  Erie,  Pa.,  writes  to  me  that  he  has  used  this  remedy 
for  years,  with  complete  success. 

Mr.  J.  McK.  Beattie,  of  Pictou,  Nova  Scotia,  has  written  to  me  of  a 
still  simpler  method. 

"  I  notice  in  the  April  number  of  SCRIBNER'S  MONTHLY  that  you  intend  to  use 
tobacco  dust  to  destroy  the  currant  worms;  it  will  prove  effectual;  but,  as  I  can 
give  you  a  far  more  simple  plan,  I  take  the  liberty  of  writing.  It  is  one  which  I  have 
proved  for  the  past  seven  years,  and  never  have  known  it  to  fail  wherever  tried. 


Currants  and  Gooseberries.  245 

"  After  digging  about  my  bushes,  and  manuring  in  the  spring,  I  cover  the  earth 
around  the  bushes  with  tobacco  stems,  and  place  a  handful  in  the  middle  of  the 
bush,  and  the  work  is  done  for  the  season.  I  found  that  when  using  the  dust  I  had 
to  renew  it  after  every  heavy  rain,  whereas  the  stems  did  not  need  renewing,  unless 
it  was  a  very  wet  season,  and  then,  if  any  worms  appeared,  a  handful  of  fresh  stems 
scattered  through  the  bushes  made  them  disappear. 

"  The  stems  have  several  advantages :  they  are  cheaper  than  dust ;  they  serve  as 
a  mulch  to  keep  the  ground  off  the  fruit,  and  when  dug  in  about  the  bush,  they 
make  an  excellent  manure.  I  think  if  you  once  gave  them  a  fair  trial  you  would 
never  be  tempted  to  try  any  other  method. 

"  Last  year,  stems  were  very  scarce  here,  and  I  could  not  get  enough  to  mulch 
all  my  bushes,  so  I  only  put  a  generous  handful  in  the  center  of  a  good  many 
bushes,  and  they  were  not  troubled ;  but  I  would  not  like  to  recommend  that  plan 
until  I  experimented  further." 

For  the  past  two  years,  the  worm  has  attacked  my  bushes  savagely ; 
but,  as  I  am  very  fond  of  currants,  and  relish  white,  powdered  sugar  more 
than  hellebore,  I  fought  the  pests  successfully  by  hand-picking.  I  kept  a 
boy,  at  moderate  wages,  whose  business  it  was  to  kill  insects  and  worms. 
He  had  a  lively  time  of  it  occasionally,  for  Nature  sometimes  appeared  to 
take  sides  with  the  pests. 

The  cautious  use  of  lime  and  salt  around  and  under  the  bushes  might 
prove  beneficial,  since  the  worm  descends  into  the  soil  before  changing  into 
a  pupa. 

The  currant  and  gooseberry  are  also  infested  with  several  species  of 
plant-lice.  A  gentleman  whose  bushes  were  attacked  by  lice  and  the 
currant  worm  at  the  same  time,  wrote  to  the  Country  Gentleman  that  he 
destroyed  both  by  a  strong  decoction  of  white  hellebore,  applied  from 
a  fine  rose-sprinkling  can.  The  bushes  were  turned  back  and  forth,  so 
as  to  get  the  solution  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves.  The  writer 
concludes : 

"  The  decoction  of  hellebore  must  be  strong  to  be  effectual.  I  make  it  as 
follows :  To  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  add  a  table-spoonful  of  pulverized  hellebore. 
After  standing  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  add  three  gallons  of  common  soapsuds. 
When  cool,  apply  with  a  sprinkler.  I  do  not  know  that  there  is  any  virtue  in  the 
soapsuds,  excepting  it  makes  the  solution  stick  to  the  leaves." 

There  are  three  species  of  currant  borers  with  unpronounceable 
names.  Their  presence  is  shown  by  yellow  foliage  and  withering 
fruit  in  summer,  and  by  brown,  shriveled  branches  in  winter.  Cutting 
out  and  burning  are  the  only  remedy.  Usually,  a  vigorous  bush  will 
outgrow  the  attacks  of  this  enemy ;  and  good  cultivation  gives  vigor,  and 


246  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

also  disturbs  and  brings  to  the  surface  the  worms  that  have  entered  the 
soil  to  undergo  their  transformation.  From  first  to  last,  tonic  treatment 
supplements  and  renders  more  effective  our  direct  efforts  to  destroy 
diseases  and  enemies. 

Most  earnestly  would  I  urge  caution  in  using  all  virulent  poisons 
like  Paris  green,  London  purple,  hellebore,  etc. 

Whenever  it  is  possible  to  substitute  a  less  poisonous  substance, 
do  so  by  all  means.  Some  good  people  regard  tobacco  as  the  bane 
of  banes ;  but  to  many  it  does  not  cause  the  feeling  of  repugnance  and 
fear  inspired  by  hellebore  and  more  poisonous  insecticides.  Let  all  such 
articles  be  kept  under  lock  and  key;  and  one  person  should  have  charge 
of  their  use,  and  be  held  responsible  for  them.  Moreover,  any  water- 
ing-can used  with  Paris  green  and  like  substances  should  be  marked 
with  the  word  Poison,  in  large  letters.  If  insecticides  are  used  in  the 
form  of  a  powder,  great  care  should  be  exercised  to  keep  it  from  falling 
on  other  vegetation  or  fruit  that  might  be  eaten  by  man  or  beast.  I 
have  known  of  pigs  and  horses  dying  from  eating  herbage  on  which  Paris 
green  had  blown  from  a  potato  field.  London  purple,  which,  as  a 
cheaper  and  equally  effective  article,  is  taking  the  place  of  Paris  green, 
must  be  used  with  the  same  caution,  since  it  is  a  compound  of  arsenic, 
and  equally  poisonous. 

It  is  my  wish  and  intention  to  experiment  carefully  with  the  various 
means  and  methods  of  coping  with  the  diseases  and  enemies  of  small 
fruits,  and  to  give  this  chapter  frequent  revisions. 


BE  SI  IT 

c 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 


PICKING   AND    MARKETING. 


IN  the  proceedings  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Horticultural  Society,  I  find 
the  following  interesting  paper  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  C.  W.  Idell,  a 
commission  merchant,  whose  intelligent  interest  in  fruits  extends  beyond 
their  current  price.  He  gives  so  graphic  a  picture  of  the  diminutive 
beginning  of  small  fruit  growing  and  marketing,  that  I  am  led  to  quote 
freely  :  "  About  the  earliest  knowledge  I  could  obtain  of  the  strawberry 
in  our  State  is  that  it  first  grew  wild  in  many  regions,  particularly  in 
the  county  of  Bergen.  The  negroes  were  the  first  to  pick  this  fruit  for 
the  New  York  market,  and  invented  those  quaint,  old-fashioned  splint 
baskets,  with  handles  that  were  and  are  still  in  use  in  that  county.  These 
berries  were  taken  to  New  York,  the  baskets  being  strung  on  poles,  and 
thus  peddled  through  the  city.  I  would  state,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
have  not  seen  these  baskets,  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  original 
makers  of  them  to  have  them  contain  a  half-pint  each,  but  soon  they 
became  so  reduced  in  size  that  each  buyer  was  compelled  to  guess  at  the 
contents  of  those  he  bought. 

"Just  when  cultivated  berries  made  their  appearance,  I  am  unable  to 
say,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  they  were  derived  from  seedlings  of  the  wild 
fruit.  From  the  information  I  have  gathered,  I  think  that  the  cultivation 
of  the  fruit  for  the  market  originated  in  the  vicinity  of  Hackensack, 
Bergen  county,  and  from  there  spread  over  the  State.  As  there  were 
no  railroads  in  that  section  at  that  early  date,  all  the  berries  had  to  be 
carted  to  New  York  in  wagons,  crossing  the  Hudson  at  Hoboken.  Quite 


248  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

recently,  I  met  with  Mr.  Andrew  M.  Hopper,  of  Pascack,  who  gave  me 
several  interesting  points  from  his  early  recollections. 

"Mr.  Hopper  said:  '  I  am  sixty-five  years  old,  and  can  well  remember 
picking  berries  for  my  father,  when  a  boy  ten  years  of  age.  At  that  time 
we  had  no  crates  as  we  have  now,  but  packed  them  in  large  baskets  that 
we  called  hampers. 

"  '  Our  only  shipping  point  to  New  York  was  Piermont,  on  the  Hudson, 
New  York  State,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles. 

"'At  this  point  there  was  a  line  of  sloops  that  sailed  semi-weekly, 
when  wind  and  tide  permitted.  In  those  days;  there  were  no  commission 
merchants  in  New  York  that  dealt  in  berries,  and  each  farmer  was  compelled 
to  go  with  and  sell  his  own  fruit.  The  fare  on  these  vessels  was  one 
shilling  for  a  round  trip,  board  not  included ;  and  as  it  sometimes 
required  two  days  to  reach  the  city,  each  farmer  provided  a  lunch  for 
himself  before  starting  for  home,  as  well  as  provender  for  his  team,  which 
was  left  at  the  landing  to  await  his  return.  The  usual  fee  for  caring  for 
the  team  while  they  were  gone  was  twenty-five  cents.' 

"The  Hautbois  was  the  first  named  variety  he  could  remember,  which 
was  introduced  among  them  in  1835.  In  about  1840,  the  Scotch  Runner 
was  introduced  at  Hackensack.  It  was  a  valuable  variety  for  the  growers, 
as  it  was  hardy,  a  good  bearer,  and  the  fruit  grew  unusually  large  for  that 
period.  An  incident  connected  with  the  introduction  of  this  variety  is 
worth  mentioning,  showing  the  eagerness  of  the  cultivators  to  procure  the 
plants. 

"  A  gentleman  living  at  '  Old  Bridge,'  which  is  a  few  miles  above 
Hackensack,  secured  quite  a  number  of  plants,  and  set  them  out  in  his 
garden  for  the  purpose  of  propagating  them,  so  that  he  could  in  due  time 
plant  a  large  patch  of  them.  The  vines  being  in  great  demand,  his 
neighbors  insisted  upon  his  selling  them ;  but  this  proposition  he 
positively  refused,  and  the  consequence  was  that,  one  night,  some  person 
entered  his  garden  and  stole  every  plant  he  had.  At  this  period,  and  up 
to  the  introduction  of  the  Wilson,  all  strawberries  in  thai  section  were 
picked  and  marketed  without  the  hulls. 

"For  a  long  time,  I  have  been  trying  to  find  out  the  originator  of  the 
quart  berry  box  and  crate,  and,  thinking  Mr.  Hopper  might  possess  some 
knowledge  on  this  point,  I  inquired  of  him.  He  replied :  '  I  know 
nothing  about  the  quart  box,  for  I  never  used  them,  but  I  do  about  the 
crate. 

"  '  In  1840,  I  made  the  first  crate  ever  used  in  our  section,  if  not  in  the 
State,  and  I  will  tell  you  how  I  came  to  do  it.  In  those  days,  I  raised 


Picking  and  Marketing.  249 

large  quantities  of  apricots,  and  marketed  them  in  such  baskets  as  we  hap- 
pened to  have.  In  the  year  named,  my  fruit  was  very  large  and  finely 
colored,  and,  knowing  they  would  be  damaged  by  carting  in  the  usual 
way,  I  had  a  number  of  small  baskets  made,  and  then  I  constructed  a 
crate  to  fit  them.  The  next  day  after  I  made  them,  General  Acker,  who 
was  an  old  fruit  grower,  called  on  me,  admired  the  arrangement,  and 
suggested  that  they  would  answer  to  pack  berries  in,  and  requested  me  to 
make  two  for  him,  which  I  did.  From  these,  the  use  of  them  became 
general.' 

"  The  cases  referred  to  were  skeleton  cases,  some  with  and  others 
without  lids,  each  grower  making  them  to  suit  his  own  convenience  for 
handling ;  but  they  generally  contained  from  one  to  two  hundred  baskets 
each.  The  number  of  baskets  in  each  was  marked  either  on  the  lid  or 
slat." 

From  the  above  quotation,  the  reader  can  realize  what  vast  changes 
have  taken  place  within  the  last  fifty  years.  A  few  sable  peddlers,  with 
little  baskets  strung  on  poles,  form  a  decided  contrast  with  a  Charleston 
steamer,  bringing  in  one  trip  North  far  more  strawberries,  in  patent  refrig- 
erators, than  were  then  sold  in  a  year ;  or  with  an  Old  Dominion  steamship, 
discharging  six  thousand  bushels  as  a  single  item  of  cargo.  Ninety-four 
car-loads  of  strawberries  have  passed  over  the  Delaware  railroad  in  one 
day.  According  to  one  computation  already  given,  New  York  consumes 
$25,000,000  worth  of  small  fruits  annually.  If  the  business  has  grown  to 
such  proportions  within  the  last  half  century,  may  we  not  expect  even 
greater  increase  in  the  future  ?  The  appliances  for  preserving  fruit, 
and  for  transporting  it  quickly  and  safely,  become  more  perfect  every 
year.  Thus,  a  market  is  created  in  vast  regions,  which,  though  populous, 
are  not  adapted  to  the  raising  of  fruit 

The  modern  conditions  of  marketing  fruit  are  just  the  reverse  of  those 
described  by  Mr.  Idell.  Then,  the  berries,  both  in  size  and  quantity,  were 
small;  but  the  labor  and  difficulty  in  reaching  the  consumer  were  immense. 
Now,  strawberries  that  in  size  resemble  tomatoes  can  be  forwarded  by  the 
ship  and  car-load,  with  brief,  printed  labels,  and  the  commission  merchant 
sells  for  his  correspondent,  who  may  reside  hundreds  of  miles  away,  and 
for  years  never  follow  his  fruits  to  their  market.  Our  chief  ground  for 
solicitude  is  success  in  finding  a  commission  house  able  to  dispose  of  our 
fruit  promptly  at  current  rates,  and  sufficiently  honest  to  make  exact 
returns  at  the  end  of  each  week.  There  are  many  who  do  this,  and  not  a 
few  who  do  not.  If  one  has  not  satisfactory  business  acquaintance  in  the 
city,  I  suggest  that  they  learn  from  their  neighbors  who  have  been  in  the 
32 


250  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

habit  of  shipping  produce,  the  names  of  merchants  that  uniformly  have 
made  the  best  returns.  Moreover,  it  is  often  well,  if  one  has  considerable 
fruit,  to  ship  to  two  or  more  parties,  and  compare  prices.  The  homely 
proverb  hinting  that  it  is  not  wise  to  put  all  our  eggs  in  one  basket,  is 
sound. 


FRUIT    PACKAGES. 

After  some  years  of  experience  and  observation,  I  am  led  to  market 
my  strawberries  in  square,  quart  baskets,  and  round  pints,  and  raspber- 
ries in  half-pints  ;  although  pints  answer  equally  well  for  a  firm  raspberry, 
like  the  Cuthbert  or  Brandywine. 

If  I  were  shipping  long  distances,  I  would  prefer  baskets  of  which  the 
round  Beecher  quarts  and  pints  are  the  types.  Such  packages  occupy  too 
much  space,  however,  to  be  forwarded  in  refrigerators.  I  think  berries 
remain  in  good  condition  longer  in  this  circular,  open  basket  than  in  any 
other.  Of  the  crate,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  it  should  be  light, 
strong,  and  so  constructed  as  to  permit  free  circulation  of  air.  Few  of  the 
square  "  quart  baskets  "  hold  a  quart.  Indeed,  there  are  but  few  honest 
baskets  in  the  market;  and  the  fact  has  come  to  be  so  well  recognized  that 
they  are  now  sold  by  the  " basket,"  the  majority  being  aware  that  they  are 
simply  packages  of  fruit.  I  think  there  should  be  a  change  in  this  respect, 
and  that  the  several  packages  should  hold  a  full  quart,  pint,  etc.  Square 
quarts  fill  a  crate  compactly,  requiring  the  least  amount  of  space  ;  there  is 
no  chance  for  the  baskets  to  upset,  and  when  the  crate  is  opened,  there  is 
a  continuous  surface  of  fruit,  which  is  very  attractive.  Very  large,  showy 
strawberries  appear  best,  however,  in  round  baskets.  If  my  market  were 
a  near  one,  I  would  plan  to  dispose  of  the  bulk  of  my  crop  in  round  pints, 
since  they  could  be  used  for  strawberries,  the  firmer  raspberries,  and 
blackberries.  Thus  one  stock  and  style  of  baskets  would  last  throughout 
the  whole  season. 

A  little  good  taste  bestowed  upon  the  appearance  of  a  fruit  package 
often  adds  several  cents  per  pound  or  quart  to  the  price  received,  and  thus 
it  comes  that  the  brand  of  certain  growers  is  sought  after  in  the  market. 
A  few  green  leaves,  judiciously  placed,  cost  nothing,  but  may  catch  the 
eye  and  secure  a  fancy  price. 

After  much  inquiry  in  the  market,  however,  I  am  led  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  size,  quality,  and  appearance  of  the  fruit  count  for  far  more  than 
all  other  considerations  combined. 


Fruit  Packages. 


251 


The  old  Marlboro'  thirds  (see  illustration),  still  largely  in  use  on  the 
Hudson,  should  be  superseded  as  soon  as  possible  by  baskets  that  per- 
mit circulation  of  air.  The  artist  has  suggested  a  style  of  packages  of 
which  we  are  in  need — boxes  cheap  enough  to  be  given  away  with  the 


gV*  ,/y 

Marlboro'  Thirds. 


Sunnyside  Fruit- Box. 


fruit  The  drawing  is  of  a  style  called  the  "  Sunnyside  fruit-box,"  and  can 
be  obtained  for  about  $10  per  1,000.  The  purchaser  sees  a  pretty  box  of 
fruit  at  a  shop,  buys  and  takes  it  with  him,  and  is  at  no  trouble  to  return 
the  box.  The  present  frequent  practice  of  pouring  the  fruit  into  brown 
paper  bags  is  villainous. 

Mr.  J.  T.  Budd,  of  Wilmington,  Del.,  in  a  sensible  letter,  gives  several 
excellent  reasons  why  it  would  be  better,  and,  in  the  end,  cheaper,  to  use 
such  cheap  crates  and  baskets  that  one  could  afford  to  let  them  go  with 
the  fruit.  The  expenses  of  transportation  would  thus  be  reduced,  and  the 
prices  of  the  berries  enhanced,  not  only  because  the  purchaser  would  not 
be  to  the  trouble  of  returning  packages,  but  chiefly  for  the  reason  that  the 
fruit  would  always  appear  in  fresh,  new  baskets,  instead  of  those  soiled,  and 
often  musty,  from  long  use.  Mr.  Budd  shows  that,  in  Delaware,  crates  and 
baskets  could  be  made  sufficiently  cheap  for  this  practice. 


PICKING. 


Having  procured  the  baskets  which  suit  us  best,  the  next  thing  is  to 
fill  them  properly,  and  get  them  into  market  looking  fresh  and  attractive. 
It  is  just  at  this  point  that  very  many  wrong  themselves,  or  permit  them- 
selves to  be  wronged.  The  time  is  past  when  all  strawberries  will  sell  as 


252  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

such,  at  so  much  per  quart  Appearance  often  doubles  the  price,  or  makes 
it  difficult  to  sell  the  fruit  at  all.  Soiled,  muddy  berries,  even  though  large, 
will  fetch  but  wretched  prices ;  therefore  the  importance  of  mulching.  The 
fruit  may  be  in  beautiful  condition  upon  the  vines  and  yet  be  spoiled  by 
careless  picking.  The  work  is  often  performed  by  children,  or  by  those 
who  have  had  no  experience,  or  who,  from  inherent  shiftlessness,  do 
everything  in  the  worst  possible  way.  I  have  seen  beautiful  berries  that 
in  their  brief  transit  through  grimy  hands  lost  half  their  value.  Many 
pickers  will  lay  hold  of  the  soft  berry  itself  and  pinch  it  as  they  pull  it  off; 
then,  instead  of  dropping  it  into  the  basket,  they  will  hold  it  in  the  hand 
as  they  pick  others,  and  as  the  hand  grows  fuller,  will  squeeze  them 
tighter,  and  when,  at  last,  the  half-crushed  handful  is  dropped  into  the 
basket,  the  berries  are  almost  ruined  for  market  purposes.  Not  for  $10 
per  day  would  I  permit  such  a  person  to  pick  for  me,  for  he  not  only 
takes  fifty  per  cent,  from  the  price  of  the  fruit,  but  gives  my  brand  a  bad 
reputation.  If  possible,  the  grower  should  carefully  select  his  pickers, 
and  have  them  subscribe  to  a  few  plain  rules,  like  the  following : 

1.  Each  berry  must  be  picked  with  the  thumb  and  fore-finger  nails,  and  not 
held  in  the  hand  but  dropped  into  the  basket  at  once. 

2.  No  green,  decayed,  or  muddy  berries  will  be  received. 

3.  There  must  be  no  getting  down  upon  all  fours  in  the  beds,  thus  crushing 
both  green  and  ripe  fruit. 

4.  There  must  be  no  "  topping  off"  with  large  berries,  but  the  fruit  must  be 
equally  good  all  through  the  basket. 

In  the  early  pickings  of  Wilsons,  when  many  of  the  berries  are  of  good 
size,  and  of  all  the  large,  choice  kinds,  it  is  best  to  make  two  grades, 
putting  the  large  and  small  by  themselves,  and  keeping  varieties  separate. 
A  small  frame,  with  short  legs  at  the  corners,  and  a  handle,  is  a  convenient 
appliance  to  hold  six  or  more  baskets  while  picking.  Give  to  each  picker 
two  sets  of  baskets,  one  for  the  small  and  one  for  the  large  berries,  and 
pay  equally  for  both,  or  perhaps  a  little  more  for  the  small  or-js,  so  that 
there  may  be  no  motive  to  thwart  your  purpose ;  one  and  a  half  to  two 
cents  per  quart  is  the  usual  price.  Have  two  styles  of  tickets,  red  and 
blue,  for  instance ;  the  red  having  a  higher  value  and  being  given  to  those 
who  bring  the  berries  to  the  place  of  packing  in  good  order,  according  to 
rule ;  let  the  baskets  not  picked  in  conformity  to  the  rules  be  receipted  for 
with  the  blue  tickets.  Receiving  many  of  the  latter  soon  becomes  a  kind 
of  disgrace,  and  thus  you  appeal  to  the  principle  of  self-respect  as  well 
as  self-interest.  Get  rid  of  those  who  persist  in  careless  picking  as  soon 


Picking.  253 

as  possible.  Insist  that  the  baskets  be  full  and  rounded  up,  and  the  fruit 
equal  in  quality  down  to  the  bottom.  As  far  as  possible,  let  the  hulls  be 
down,  out  of  sight,  and  only  the  fruit  showing.  If  you  have  berries  that 
are  extra  fine,  it  will  pay  you  to  pick  and  pack  them  yourself,  or  have 
some  one  to  do  it  who  can  be  depended  upon.  Do  not  pick  the  fruit,  if 
you  can  help  it,  when  it  is  wet  with  dew  or  rain ;  still,  there  are  times 
when  this  must  be  done  to  save  it.  Never  let  the  baskets  or  crates  stand 
long  in  the  sun  and  wind,  as  the  berries  so  treated  soon  become  dull  and 
faded.  As  soon  as  a  crate  is  filled,  put  it  under  cover  in  a  cool  place 
till  shipped  to  market.  As  far  as  possible,  insist  upon  careful,  gentle 
handling. 

Raspberries  should  be  treated  with  even  greater  care  than  strawberries, 
since  they  are  softer  and  more  perishable.  They  should  never  be  put 
into  anything  larger  than  a  pint  basket,  while  thirds  of  a  quart  and  half- 
pints  are  much  better.  Round  half-pints  seem  to  be  coming  into 
favor.  There  is  a  wide,  shallow  basket  made  in  Rochester,  that  some 
growers  think  highly  of.  With  most  varieties  of  raspberries,  if  any  con- 
siderable number  are  placed  together  they  soon  become  a  soft,  moldy 
mass.  The  ideal  raspberry  basket,  therefore,  is  small,  open,  and  shallow ; 
and  the  crates  should  permit  free  circulation.  Pick  the  fruit  when  dry, 
and  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe,  as  over-ripe  berries  decay  quickly.  Keep 
varieties  by  themselves.  Mr.  Parry  says  that  raspberries  will  pay  at  ten 
cents  per  quart,  but  the  margin  of  profit  will  be  small.  They  usually  sell 
at  much  higher  figures.  Black-caps,  of  late  years,  have  scarcely  brought 
paying  prices  in  New  York  market.  The  following  statement  shows  what 
a  difference  variety,  and  therefore  quality,  makes  in  the  same  market. 
On  the  /th  day  of  July,  1871,  raspberries  were  sold  at  wholesale,  in 
Philadelphia,  as  follows,  viz.  : 

Black-cap 5  cents  per  quart. 

Philadelphia 8  do. 

Pearl :.    16  do. 

Susqueco,  or  Brandywine 30  do. 

Hornet 60  do. 

Blackberries  sell  well  in  both  quart  and  pint  baskets,  but  if  one  is  send- 
ing a  long  distance,  pints  will  carry  the  fruit  in  better  condition. 

One  of  the  best  methods  of  shipping  currants  is  to  have  tills,  or  shallow 
boxes,  two  or  three  in  number,  fitting  in  one's  berry  crates,  which  can  thus 
be  made  to  serve  a  double  purpose.  Mark  on  these  tills  the  net  weight  of 
the  fruit.  For  large,  Cherry  currants,  quart  and  verbena  baskets  are  often 


254  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

used.  Many  like  a  long  market  basket,  holding  about  25  pounds,  while 
those  who  raise  grapes  often  make  the  same  shallow  boxes  answer  for  both. 

Gooseberries  are  shipped  in  all  kinds  of  packages,  from  barrels  to  quart 
boxes.  I  prefer  a  crate  with  tills,  for  both  gooseberries  and  currants. 
These  two  fruits,  especially  the  latter,  are  becoming  increasingly  profitable 
every  year. 

In  summing  up,  it  may  be  briefly  stated  that  with  all  fruits,  and  in  all 
the  large  markets,  beauty,  size  and  good  keeping  qualities  are  the  points 
which  are  chiefly  considered.  Very  few  know  much  about  the  names  of 
varieties,  but  eagerly  purchase  that  which  appears  the  most  attractive. 
The  grower  who  can  make  his  crates  of  berries,  when  opened,  look  better 
than  others  near,  will  always  receive  good  prices.  If  he  tops  off  poor 
fruit  with  large  berries,  he  will  scarcely  find  a  market  eventually.  If  he 
always  fills  his  baskets  well  and  honestly,  and  gives  good  weight,  taking 
pains  to  make  his  packages  appear  attractive,  his  fruit  will  soon  be  in  much 
demand  and  spoken  for  in  advance. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


IRRIGATION. 


THIS  is  a  topic  on  which  a  book  might  be  written.  The  reader  will 
draw  a  sigh  of  relief,  however,  on  learning  that  I  shall  content  myself 
with  giving  a  few  facts  and  suggestions,  since  I  am  well  aware  that,  in  spite 
of  its  title,  this  chapter  will  be  dry  to  many. 

The  first  rays  that  fall  from  the  lamp  of  history  reveal  vast  systems  of 
irrigation  in  full  operation.  In  many  parts  of  the  globe,  artificial  watering 
is  absolutely  essential,  and  there  are  few  agricultural  regions  which  might 
not  be  rendered  far  more  productive  if  the  supply  of  moisture  could  be 
regulated  in  accordance  with  the  needs  of  each  crop. 

The  question,  as  we  shall  consider  it,  is  a  practical  one.  In  California 
and  other  sections,  the  land  must  be  irrigated  ;  here,  and  wherever  the 
rain-fall  is  more  equally  distributed  throughout  the  year,  we  can  water  if 
we  find  the  practice  remunerative. 

The  increased  yield  from  the  proper  application  of  water  is  often 
marvelous.  Mr.  James  Neilson,  in  a  paper  read  before  the  New  Jersey 
State  Board  of  Agriculture,  gives  some  interesting  facts  observed  abroad. 
In  regions  along  the  Cavour  Canal,  the  people  were  able  to  mow  in 
one  season  six  heavy  burdens  of  grass,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Edinburgh, 
by  the  use  of  sewage  water,  five  or  six  crops  of  grass  annually.  In 
Belgium,  "  sandy,  barren  land  (resembling  the  pine  barrens  of  New  Jersey) 
was  put  into  profitable  cultivation  when  it  could  be  irrigated."  The  plain 
of  Gennevilliers,  near  Paris,  seemed  utterly  worthless  for  cultivation.  It 
consisted  almost  wholly  of  coarse  gravel,  and  bore  no  rent.  No  land- 
owner would  make  any  effort  to  use  water,  so  the  city  of  Paris  bought  about 


256  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

twenty-five  acres  and  turned  upon  it  part  of  the  sewage.  It  now  rents 
for  nearly  $50  per  acre,  with  sewage  supplied.  In  parts  of  Spain,  land  is 
worth  $2,500  irrigated,  and  but  $125  without  the  privilege  of  water. 

The  enormous  and  long-continued  crops  of  strawberries  raised  in 
California  prove  that  water  is  equally  effective  in  our  new  land,  where  the 
climate  is  similar,  as  in  the  older  countries.  Will  irrigation  pay  in  our 
latitude,  where  we  hope  for  seasonable  rains  ?  I  think  that  in  many 
sections  it  will,  and  occasionally  I  hear  of  remarkable  results  obtained  by  the 
free  use  of  water.  In  one  instance,  a  gravelly  hill-side,  almost  worthless 
for  ordinary  cultivation,  became  the  wonder  of  the  neighborhood,  so  large 
were  the  crops  of  strawberries  secured  by  irrigation. 

Mr.  Chas.  W.  Garfield,  Secretary  of  the  Michigan  State  Pomological 
Society,  gives  an  interesting  account  of  his  visit  to  Mr.  Dunkley,  a  success- 
ful gardener,  at  Kalamazoo :  "  A  force,"  he  writes,  "  were  picking 
strawberries  from  rows  of  vigorous  plants,  and  as  we  opened  the  vines  in 
advance  of  the  pickers,  a  more  delightful  strawberry  prospect  we  had 
never  seen.  The  varieties  were  Monarch,  Seneca  Chief  and  Wilson,  and, 
under  the  system  of  irrigation  employed,  they  were  just  prime  for  market 
after  all  the  other  berries  in  the  vicinity  had  ripened  and  were  gone.  Very 
remunerative  prices  were  thus  secured.  His  vines  were  vigorous,  and 
independent  of  the  rains.  Every  berry  that  set,  reached  perfection  in  size 
and  form."  The  abundant  moisture  greatly  increases  the  size  of  the  fruit, 
but  retards  the  ripening.  When  the  fruit  has  reached  the  proper  stage  for 
maturity,  the  water  is  withheld,  and  then  the  berries  ripen  fast,  but  in  their 
perfect  development  are  firm,  and  are  shielded  from  the  sun  by  the  luxu- 
riant foliage.  "  We  water,"  said  Mr.  Dunkley,  "  only  to  supplement  the 
rain.  If  the  season  is  wet,  we  employ  our  artificial  system  but  little,  or 
not  at  all,  and  in  such  seasons  get  no  profit  from  our  investments ;  but 
generally,  sometime  during  a  season  there  is  a  drought  that  shortens  some 
crop  ;  then  we  irrigate,  and  have  the  advantage  of  neighboring  gardeners." 

This  statement  suggests  the  practical  question,  Do  droughts  or  dry 
seasons  occur  with  sufficient  frequency  to  warrant  the  outlay  required  for 
irrigation  ?  In  a  very  interesting  paper  read  before  the  Massachusetts 
Horticultural  Society,  Mr.  W.  D.  Philbrick  gives  much  information  on  the 
subject  of  artificial  watering,  and  its  need  in  our  latitude  and  section,  and  I 
quote  from  him  freely : 

"  The  amount  of  water  required  will  depend  largely  on  the  rain-fall,  velocity  of 
the  wind,  atmospheric  humidity,  soil,  etc.  A  loose;  sandy  soil  will  require  much 
more  water  than  a  retentive  clay.  In  general,  however,  it  may  be  assumed  that  in 


Irrigation.  257 

the  warm,  growing  months  of  May,  June,  July,  August  and  September,  most  vegeta- 
tion requires  an  inch  in  depth  over  the  entire  surface  of  the  land  every  five  days. 
This  is,  of  course,  only  an  average.  This  quantity,  estimated  as  needed  by  our 
gardens,  would  be  equivalent  to  six  inches  per  month  of  rain-fall.  If  we  compare 
this  amount  with  the  actual  rain-fall,  we  shall  arrive  at  an  idea  of  what  is  to  be 
supplied  artificially. 

"The  rain-fall  at  Boston  for  the  past  six  years  (to  1878),  for  the  five  growing 
months  named,  varies  from  a  maximum  of  10^  inches,  in  August,  1872,  to  a  mini- 
mum of  0.65  inch,  in  June,  1873.  During  these  six  years  there  was  not  a  single 
season  when  we  did  not  suffer  more  or  less  from  drought  during  some  portion  of  the 
summer.  Twenty-one  of  the  thirty  months  in  question  had  less  rain-fall  than  six 
inches  per  month,  and  the  average  of  these  twenty-one  months  was  about  3.02  inches 
per  month,  or  only  about  half  of  what  was  needed.  Some  of  the  protracted  seasons 
of  drought  were  almost  entirely  rainless  for  six  weeks,  during  which  the  weather 
was  excessively  hot  and  windy,  and  vegetation  suffered  extremely  in  consequence." 

Mr.  Philbrick  estimates  that  27,000  gallons,  or  108  tons,  of  water  are 
needed  per  acre  at  each  watering,  which,  in  a  dry  period,  should  be 
repeated  every  five  days.  This  enormous  quantity  leads  him  to  suggest 
that  "  before  embarking  in  an  enterprise  of  irrigation,  it  would  be  best  to 
make  sure  that  the  source  can  be  depended  upon  for  a  sufficient  supply  of 
water  in  the  driest  seasons ;  for,  it  is  precisely  at  such  times  that  the  most 
water  is  needed.  Ordinary  springs  and  wells,  therefore,  are  entirely  inade- 
quate to  furnish  water  for  anything  more  than  a  small  patch  or  garden. 
The  only  sources  to  be  depended  upon  for  large  areas  are  unfailing 
streams,  lakes  and  ponds.  There  are  few  gardens  so  favorably  situated 
that  the  water  can  be  drawn  from  canals  and  ditches  directly  from  some 
pond  or  stream.  When  this  can  be  done,  it  is  by  far  the  cheapest 
method ;  and  it  is  in  this  way  that  the  extensive  irrigating  works  of  Lom- 
bardy,  Spain,  France,  California,  and  Colorado  are  constructed.  Where 
this  system  is  adopted,  considerable  expense  is  required  to  grade  the  land 
into  inclined  beds,  so  as  to  distribute  the  water  easily  and  evenly ;  but, 
once  done,  the  water  is  applied  at  a  very  trifling  cost — so  cheaply  that  it 
is  used  for  farm  crops  in  Lombardy  and  the  South  of  France." 

In  most  instances,  however,  our  land  is  so  located  that  we  cannot 
irrigate  it  by  a  natural  flow  and  fall  of  water.  In  this  case,  it  may  be 
distributed  by  water-carts  and  by  hand.  This  can  be  done  only  on  a  very 
small  scale.  The  cost  in  time  and  labor  would  be  much  too  great  for 
profitable  returns,  and  the  ground  would  be  so  beaten  and  trampled  as  to 
cause  much  injury.  Such  methods  may  answer  very  well  for  small  and 
well-mulched  fruit  gardens,  making  the  home  supply  certain  and  large, 
but  it  is  inadequate  from  a  business  point  of  view.  Distributing  water 
33 


258  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

through  pipes  laid  underground,  beneath  the  plow,  does  not  work  well  at 
all,  practically,  and  is  not  in  accordance  with  nature.  Most  of  the  water 
is  wasted. 

"  The  only  method,"  continues  Mr.  Philbrick,  "  of  distributing  water 
much  used  in  gardens,  where  pumping  is  practiced,  is  the  system  of  iron 
pipes  laid  underground  with  hydrants  distant  200  feet  asunder,  from 
which  the  water  is  distributed  by  100  feet  of  India  rubber  hose.  This  is 
also  the  plan  adopted  by  gardeners  who  make  use  of  the  public  water 
supply."  When  practicable,  such  iron  pipes  should  be  carried  along  ridges 
and  headlands,  so  as  to  let  the  water  flow  where  we  wish  it  by  gravity  as 
far  as  possible. 

"  Where  the  water  has  to  be  distributed  by  hose  and  sprinkler,  it  will 
be  found  good  economy  to  use  a  powerful  pump  that  will  give  a  head  of 
at  least  thirty  feet,  and  to  use  for  distribution  pipes  of  not  less  than  one 
and  a  half  inches  in  diameter;  provided,  of  course,  that  any  considerable  area 
— an  acre  or  more — is  to  be  watered.  Thus,  for  example,  we  will  suppose 
that  it  is  required  to  water  five  acres  of  land,  and  that  we  have  near  by  a 
never-failing  pond  or  river;  we  can  locate  a  steam  pump  near  the  river, 
and,  while  at  work  watering,  we  load  the  safety-valve  upon  the  delivering 
water  pipe  at  fifteen  pounds  per  square  inch,  which  corresponds  to  a  head 
of  about  thirty  feet  of  water.  We  have  300  feet  of  iron  pipe,  two  inches 
in  diameter,  and  100  feet  of  India  rubber  hose,  one  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter,  for  the  delivery  of  the  water.  This  apparatus  would  be  capable 
of  delivering  45  gallons  per  minute,  or  27,000  gallons  per  day  of  ten 
hours — enough  for  the  thorough  wetting  of  one  acre  per  day,  or  every  acre 
of  the  five  once  in  five  days  ;  by  running  nights,  ten  acres  could  be  watered. 

"When  only  a  limited  area  is  to  be  watered, — less  than  an  acre, —  the 
wind-mill  furnishes  a  cheaper  source  of  power  than  the  steam  pump.  To 
make  it  available,  large  storage  of  water  must  be  provided  at  a  high  level, 
so  that  the  mill  may  work  during  stormy  weather  and  store  the  water 
until  needed.  A  wind-mill,  costing  with  pump  and  tank  about  $500,  will 
furnish  water  enough  for  one  or  two  acres  of  land,  provic&'.l  storage  can 
be  provided  for  200,000  gallons  of  water.  To  provide  this  storage  might 
cost  as  much  as  a  steam  pump.  Where  elevated  reservoirs  can  easily  be 
made,  and  the  amount  of  water  needed  is  not  over  10,000  gallons  daily, 
the  wind- mill  is,  without  doubt,  cheaper  power  than  steam." 

Mr.  Philbrick  shows  conclusively  that  where  a  gardener  pays  at  the 
rate  of  twenty-five  cents  per  1,000  gallons,  or  even  much  less,  only  crops 
approaching  $1,000  per  acre  in  value  will  warrant  the  outlay.  When 
land  can  be  easily  graded,  and  irrigated  through  canals  and  ditches,  the 


Irrigation. 


259 


yearly  cost  has  been  reduced,  in  some  cases,  as  low  as  from  one  to  three 
dollars  per  acre  per  year. 

"  Wherever  drainage  is  not  perfect,  it  must  be  made  so  before  irriga- 


The  Monarch  of  the  West  Strawberry. 


Watering  Plants  in  the  Twilight. 

tion  can  be  safely  practiced; 
otherwise,  if  a  heavy  fall  of 
rain  should  occur  just  after  application 
of  water,  the  plants  might  suffer  seri- 
ously from  being  too  wet." 

In  the  discussion  which  followed 
the  reading  of  this  paper,  Mr.  John  B. 
Moore  said,  among  other  things :  "  No  crop  takes  the  moisture  out  of 
the  soil  more  quickly  than  strawberries,  and,  for  these  and  other  crops 
which  soon  suffer  from  dryness,  he  lets  the  water  run  down  the  rows  all 
night  from  half  a  dozen  large  pipes." 

Hon.   Marshall  T.  Wilder  then  remarked  that  "the  secret  how  Mr. 
Moore  produced  his  large  strawberries  had  now  come  out" 

(In   a   letter  recently  received,   Mr.  Moore  further  states :     "  In    the 
garden,   I  have  had  the  best  results  where  I  have  let  the  water  run  out  of 


260  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

open  hose  between  the  rows  of  raspberries,  strawberries,  etc.,  always  making 
it  a  rule  to  wet  the  ground  thoroughly,  and  then  stop,  and  not  apply 
any  more  until  there  is  good  evidence  of  the  soil  needing  it  again.  A 
constant  drizzle  is  detrimental  to  vegetation.") 

Mr.  W.  C.  Strong  said  that  the  "  even  distribution  of  water  was  very 
important ;  otherwise,  the  ground  became  sodden  in  places,  and  other  parts 
received  no  benefit  He  thought  that  considerable  part  of  the  benefit  of 
irrigation  arose  from  showering  the  foliage,  especially  at  night,  as  in  a 
green-house." 

Mr.  Philbrick  said  that  he  applied  water  in  sunshine  sometimes,  but 
that  in  general  he  did  not  like  to  do  so.  (I  would  caution  the  reader  to  be 
very  careful  about  wetting  foliage  under  a  hot  sun,  as  it  often  causes  both 
leaves  and  fruit  to  scald.  I  once  lost  a  crop  of  gooseberries  through  a 
midday  shower,  followed  by  a  hot  afternoon.) 

Mr.  E.  P.  Richardson  had  found  a  hose  perforated  with  holes  an 
eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  about  three  or  four  inches  apart,  very 
convenient  for  applying  water.  It  can  be  laid  anywhere  in  a  straight  or 
crooked  line,  and  under  plants  whose  leaves  are  injured  by  watering  in  the 
bright  sun.  Such  a  hose  may  be  left  for  hours  without  attention. 

In  the  garden  at  Kalamazoo,  already  referred  to,  the  water  was 
obtained  by  damming  up  a  spring.  "  The  water  was  conveyed  in  a 
wooden  conduit,  made  of  two-inch  plank,  and  rendered  water-tight  by  coal 
tar."  The  whole  apparatus  was  very  inexpensive,  and  proves  that  in  many 
instances  the  ingenious  and  enterprising  horticulturist  can  work  out  a 
simple  system  of  his  own  that,  at  slight  cost,  will  answer  his  purpose. 

This  chapter  aims  at  little  more  than  to  put  the  reader  on  the  right 
track  for  further  investigation,  and  to  suggest  a  few  of  the  first  principles 
and  requirements  of  irrigation.  The  great  majority  have  little  realization 
of  the  amount  of  water  required,  and  very  often  much  loss  is  incurred  and 
injury  caused  by  attempting  artificial  watering  with  an  insufficient  supply. 
Mr.  Dunkley,  at  Kalamazoo,  started  with  a  wind-mill,  but  found  it  wholly 
inadequate.  Partial  watering  is  worse  than  useless.  By  liberal  mulching, 
very  much  less  water  is  required,  and  much  longer  intervals  between 
irrigation  may  elapse. 

If  one  designs  to  undertake  irrigation  upon  a  large  scale,  he  should 
employ  the  services  of  an  expert,  and  "make  haste  slowly."  At  the  same 
time,  many  fruit  farms  are  so  located,  or  might  be,  that  a  laborer  with  a 
pick  and  shovel  could  solve  the  problem  of  an  abundant  supply  of  water. 

When  unfailing  moisture  can  be  maintained,  and  plants  are  not  permit- 
ted to  bear  in  June,  nor  to  make  runners,  almost  a  full  crop  may  be 
obtained  in  the  autumn. 


'OX 
trfTIVE'B'SlTYl 


Six 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 


SUGGESTIVE    EXPERIENCES    FROM    WIDELY    SEPARATED    LOCALITIES. 


IT  is  often  said  that  there  is  no  teaching  like  experience,  and  in  view  of 
this  sound  principle  I  am  led  to  quote  from  a  few  of  the  letters  that  I 
have  received.  These  statements,  from  successful  and  intelligent  culti- 
vators, throw  side  lights  on  the  preceding  pages  from  various  stand-points. 
I  would  advise  the  reader  to  note  carefully  the  adaptation  of  different 
varieties  to  different  parts  of  the  country.  As  we  have  just  been  discuss- 
ing the  subject  of  irrigation,  I  will  first  quote  from  California  letters,  since 
they  touch  on  this  topic. 

From  Mr.  James  Shinn's  interesting  communication,  I  take  the  following 
facts : 

"  NILES,  ALAMEDA  Co.,  Cal. 

"  The  greater  part  of  the  strawberries  consumed  in  San  Francisco  are  grown 
in  the  neighborhood  of  San  Jose,  some  fifty  miles  south  of  the  city.  We  are  situated 
about  half-way  between,  in  the  great  valley  that  borders  the  bay  of  San  Francisco. 
We  have  occupied  this  place  over  twenty  years,  and  have  made  observations  upon 
the  culture  of  small  fruits,  and  have  always  grown  more  or  less  ourselves.  While, 
therefore,  I  do  not  claim  to  be  authority  on  the  points  you  inquire  about,  I  feel 
pretty  safe  in  mentioning  one  or  two  things  in  this  connection,  that  I  can  hardly  be 
mistaken  about : 

"First — Those  who  plant  extensively  for  market  make  it  a  sine  qua  non  to 
have  at  hand  plenty  of  water ;  except  in  very  favored  localities,  they  can't  be  grown 
to  profit  without  this  essential.  I  know  that  the  plants  are  planted  on  each  side  of 
a  small  ridge,  previously  thrown  up  for  the  purpose.  The  vines  along  the  ridge 
stand  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  apart.  The  space  between  the  ridges  allows  three  and 

261 


262  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

a  half  feet  for  cultivation  and  water.  The  water  is  allowed  to' run  between  these 
ridges,  and,  of  course,  wets  the  roots  effectually.  It  will  be  perceived  that  the 
ground  must  be  nearly  level.  I  cannot  tell  how  often  these  rows  are  watered, 
but  frequently.  The  proper  season  for  planting  is  as  early  in  the  winter  as  the 
ground  can  be  put  in  order — from  November  ist,  all  winter — the  earlier  the  better. 
If  planted  early,  a  fair  crop  of  berries  may  be  expected  the  next  summer.  For  many 
years,  the  Longworth's  Prolific  and  Peabody  Seedling  were  the  varieties  generally 
grown.  Recently,  some  other  varieties  have  been  introduced,  but  are  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  hands  of  amateurs.  The  Monarch  of  the  West  has,  however,  certainly 
secured  a  strong  foothold  among  the  large  growers.  This  berry  commanded  a 
much  larger  price  in  the  market  than  the  old  varieties.  I  just  remark  respecting 
irrigation,  that,  of  course,  as  you  will  see,  the  object  of  planting  upon  ridges  is  to 
place  the  vines  so  high  that  when  the  water  is  let  in,  the  berries  will  be  above  its 
reach.  Nearly  all  our  large  growers  let  their  fields  to  Chinamen,  who  do  all  the 
work,  boarding  themselves,  for  half  the  net  proceeds." 

"SAN  JOSE,  Cal. 

"  In  answer  to  your  letter,  asking  about  irrigation,  I  would  state  that  in  the  first 
place,  we  grade  the  land,  after  first  plowing  and  harrowing  it.  We  do  not  like  to  do 
too  much  grading.  If  the  land  is  very  uneven,  we  make  the  rows  conform  to  it, 
bringing  the  water  on  the  highest  portions,  and  cutting  escape  ditches  through  the 
low  parts,  so  that  the  water  can  run  off  readily.  The  rows  are  made  three  feet 
apart,  and  every  alternate  row  is  shoveled  or  plowed  out  to  make  a  shallow  ditch 
about  three  or  four  inches  deep.  Soil  is  thrown  on  or  between  the  alternate  rows, 
making  the  ground  look  like  small  beds.  The  plants  are  set  in  rows  about  six 
inches  from  the  edge  of  the  ditches.  We  are  now  ready  for  the  water,  which  is 
nearly  all  taken  from  artesian  wells.  The  first  year,  the  plants  do  not  require  so 
much  moisture ;  but  the  second  year,  we  water  about  once  a  week.  We  keep  all 
runners  cut  off. 

J.  H.  OGIER." 


"  BROWN'S  VALLEY,  YUBA  Co.,  tal. 

"  My  business  is  raising  strawberries  and  blackberries  for  market,  which  is 
eleven  miles  distant,  and  I  send  all  my  fruit  by  stage.  I  have  experimented  with 
all  leading  varieties,  since  Orange  Judd  introduced  the  Agriculturist,  but  succeed 
best  with  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Longworth's  Prolific,  Jucunda  and  Colonel  Cheney. 
The  latter  is  rather  soft  to  carry  so  far  to  market.  I  commence  sending  to  market 
about  the  middle  of  April.  About  the  middle  of  June,  the  Triomphe  begins  to 
ripen  a  second  crop.  Last  year,  they  were  the  largest  and  finest  berries  I  ever  saw. 
In  September,  the  Jucunda  bears  a  third  crop.  From  May  until  October,  we 
depend  entirely  on  irrigation.  Our  soil  is  red,  stiff  and  heavy.  I  use  abundantly 
well-rotted  stable  manure  and  barn-yard  compost.  I  prepare  by  deep  plowing,  and 
then  harrowing.  I  then  go  over  the  ground  for  the  plants  with  Hexamer's 
pronged  hoe,  making  the  soil  very  fine.  I  set  the  plants  two  feet  apart  each  way, 
and  where  each  one  is  to  grow,  I  work  in  a  large  shovelful  of  manure  deeply  and 


Suggestive  Experiences.  263 

thoroughly.  I  give  blackberries  the  same  mode  of  culture,  setting  them  three  feet 
by  eight.  No  winter  protection  is  needed.  In  ordinary  seasons,  there  are  a  few 
strawberries  all  winter  long.  Strawberries  and  blackberries  are  very  productive, 
and  enormous  in  size,  but  currants,  gooseberries  and  red  raspberries  do  not  succeed 
in  this  region,  the  long  and  intensely  hot  and  dry  season  being  unfavorable. 

JOHN  PALMER." 

"NEW  CASTLE,  Cal. 

"  The  President  Wilder  is  the  finest  flavored  berry  we  have  ever  tasted,  and  it 
is  the  most  attractive  in  color  of  all.  The  Jucunda  does  not  do  well  on  our  light 
soil.  The  Monarch  is  splendid.  We  grow  raspberries  quite  extensively,  our 
climate  and  location  being  better  adapted  to  them,  perhaps,  than  any  other  part  of 
California.  The  earliest  berry  with  us  is  the  Red  Antwerp  (probably  the  English). 
It  is  a  week  earlier  than  the  Franconia.  The  Herstine  is  a  fine  berry  every  way, 
except  as  regards  firmness.  The  cap  varieties  are  inferior  in  flavor  here. 

C.  M.  SILVA  &  SON." 

From  other  sources  I  learn  that  the  Triomphe  de  Gand  and  Seth 
Boyden  are  among  the  chief  favorites  in  California. 

Mr.  Felix  Gillet,  Nevada  City,  Cal.,  author  of  an  excellent  little 
treatise  on  the  culture  of  the  strawberry  in  his  region,  says  :  "  The  row 
and  hill  system  is  certainly  the  best  of  all,  especially  to  raise  large,  fine 
fruit.  The  rows  should  be  two  feet  apart,  or  thirty-six  inches  if  irrigating 
by  running  water  in  each  row  as  it  is  done  in  California.  The  plants 
should  be  set,  the  large  growing  sorts  two  feet  from  each  other  in  the 
row,  the  smaller  ones  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches." 

"AUSTIN,  Texas. 

"  I  put  in  water-works,  and  it  is  the  best  investment  I  ever  made.  I  supply 
Austin  with  vegetables  the  whole  year  round.  It  was  very  dry  last  year,  but  I 
loaded  three  wagons  with  vegetables  every  day.  We  watered  twenty  acres  regu- 
larly, and  will  water  thirty  this  year.  I  am  making  a  large  reservoir  on  a  hill,  which 
will  be  supplied  from  a  large  well  through  a  six-inch  pipe.  I  use  Knowles's  steam 
pump,  30  horse-power,  capable  of  pumping  750,000  gallons  daily.  Of  strawberries, 
the  Kentucky  Seedling  can  stand  the  most  heat  and  drought.  Crescent  Seedling 
looks  .well  here,  also  the  Forest  Rose.  Raspberries,  currants  and  gooseberries 
cannot  be  raised.  We  plant  strawberries  one  foot  apart  in  the  row,  and  the  rows 
are  three  feet  apart.  We  mulch  early  in  spring,  and  cultivate  by  horse-power  after 
the  bearing  season  is  over.  I  regard  cow  manure,  leaf  mold,  and  bone  flour  as 
the  best  fertilizers.  I  consider  fall,  October  or  November,  as  the  best  time  for 
planting. 

WILLIAM  RADAM." 


264  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

"  PALESTINE,  Texas. 

"  The  Charles  Downing,  Seth  Boyden,  and  President  Wilder  have  done  well. 
The  Charles  Downing  has  flourished  as  though  native  and  to  the  manner  born. 
The  Kentucky  has  done  remarkably  well;  the  Wilson  not  so  well.  Raspberries, 
on  the  whole,  have  done  well,  but  currants  and  gooseberries  will  not  survive.  The 
strawberries  have  done  better  than  I  hoped.  I  have  always  looked  upon  the 
strawberry  as  a  semi-aquatic  plant,  and  this  view  has  been  strengthened  by  an 
account  of  a  wonderful  crop  produced  in  this  region  by  abundant  and  systematic 
watering.  The  great  difficulty  against  which  we  have  to  contend  is  the  prolonged 
summer,  when,  for  weeks,  the  thermometer  ranges  from  90°  to  95°  in  the  shade. 
To  this  must  be  added  spells  of  dry  weather,  lasting  sometimes  for  six  or  eight  con- 
secutive weeks  in  July,  August,  and  September. 

D.  S.  H.  SMITH." 


"NEW  ORLEANS,  La. 

"  Experienced  cultivators  prepare  for  strawberries  by  thorough  plowing  and 
subsoiling.  We  cultivate  by  subsoil  plow,  cultivator  and  hoe,  with  no  stones  to  impede 
our  work.  The  bearing  season  lasts  about  90  days.  I  have  had  two  full  crops  in 
the  same  season.  The  best  time  to  plant  is :  ist,  in  August;  2d,  in  December.  The 
Wilson  and  Charles  Downing  do  well.  The  black-cap  raspberries  succeed;  the 
red  raspberries  are  thus  far  a  failure.  Blackberries  do  very  well. 

D.  M.  WIGGINS, 
Agricultural  Editor  N.  O.  Times.1" 

Mr.  H.  W.  Lamb,  of  Colorado  Springs,  writes  me  that  strawberries 
and  the  hardy  red  raspberries  do  well  in  his  section.  They  regard  sheep 
manure  as  one  of  the  best  fertilizers. 

Dr.  Samuel  Hape,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  writes: 

"  In  reply  to  your  favor,  I  would  say  that  strawberries  and  blackberries  do 
splendidly  here,  raspberries  moderately  and  currants  and  gooseberries  as  exceptions; 
grapes  finely. 

"  Our  soils  are  mostly  loam,  with  some  sand,  and  a  clay  subso*1  Bottom  lands 
have  the  usual  deposits  of  muck  and  partially  decomposed  vegetable  matter.  The 
damp,  rich  soil,  of  course,  suits  strawberries  and  blackberries ;  though  the  latter 
grow  wild  to  such  perfection,  and  in  such  abundance,  as  to  do  away  with  cultivation 
almost  entirely.  The  red  raspberry  does  not  succeed  very  well  as  a  rule.  While 
damp,  under-drained  soil  and  sandy  loam  are  best  for  strawberries,  the  dry 
uplands  have  almost  invariably  produced  well.  As  to  fertilizers,  well-decomposed 
stable  manure  and  bone  meal  have  done  the  best  with  us. 

"  No  winter  protection  is  needed.  The  fall,  with  us,  is  the  best  season  to  trans- 
plant strawberries,  by  all  odds ;  as  soon  as  the  September  rains  set  in. 

DR.  SAMUEL  HAPE." 


Suggestive  Experiences.  265 

"JACKSONVILLE,  FLA.,  Dec.  23,  1878. 

"  With  pleasure,  I  answer  your  questions  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  i.  What 
varieties  of  small  fruits  do  best  in  your  locality  ?  Strawberries  and  blackberries  do 
well,  but  owing  to  the  abundance  of  wild  fruit,  late  and  early,  the  blackberry  is  not 
cultivated  largely.  No  other  small  fruits  have  been  fairly  tried.  The  general  opinion 
is  that  our  warm  weather  lasts  too  long  for  the  raspberry,  gooseberry  and  currant. 
I  have  given  the  raspberry  a  trial,  and  cannot  recommend  it.  2.  What  soils  are  best 
adapted  to  them  ?  We  have  two  soils  on  which  the  strawberry  thrives,  the  low  hum- 
mock bordering  on  the  river.  It  is  rich  in  vegetable  and  mineral  matter — clay  from 
two  to  four  feet  under  surface.  The  next  is  our  pine  land  ;  soil  light,  and  of  grayish 
color,  nearly  devoid  of  vegetable  matter,  but  largely  supplied  with  lime  and  potash. 
Strawberries  and  blackberries  do  well  on  this  soil.  We  have  what  is  termed  high 
hummock.  It  is  a  yellow  loam,  with  clay,  varying  from  two  to  six  feet  from  surface. 
The  orange,  peach,  grape,  fig,  quince  and  plum  do  well  on  this  soil.  3.  What  is 
your  mode  of  culture  ?  For  strawberries,  I  lay  off  beds,  slightly  raised,  8  feet  wide. 
On  each  bed  I  put  four  rows  of  plants,  running  the  full  length  of  beds.  For  Wilsons — 
rows  1 8  inches,  and  12  inches  between  plants.  Charles  Downing  and  Seth  Boyden, 
1 8  by  1 8  inches;  cover  all  the  space  with  pine-needles  by  the  time  warm  weather 
sets  in,  and  shade  their  fruit  from  the  hot  sun.  I  cultivate  with  a  small  hand  culti- 
vator, partly  invented  by  myself,  and  by  hoeing.  4.  What  fertilizer  do  you  consider 
most  efficient  ?  A  compost  of  stable  manure,  muck,  and  potash.  5.  What  winter 
protection  do  you  give,  if  any  ?  None  needed.  For  summer  protection,  pine  straw 
between  plants ;  this  answers  a  double  purpose :  to  keep  the  fruit  clean,  also  to  pro- 
tect the  plants  in  warm,  dry  weather,  and  retain  moisture.  6.  Do  you  consider 
spring  or  fall  the  best  season  for  planting  in  your  locality  ?  If  I  have  home-grown 
plants,  I  prefer  planting  from  last  of  August  to  first  of  December.  Northern  plants, 
unless  grown  in  pots,  do  best  if  obtained  in  November  or  December.  I  will  add 
here,  for  your  information,  Wilson's  Albany  is  very  shy  of  making  runners  for  the 
first  year  or  two  after  coming  from  the  North.  Seth  Boyden  and  Charles  Downing 
take  possession  of  the  ground  after  fruiting  is  over. 

WILLIAM  JAMES." 

Mr.  P.  J.  Berkmans,  the  well-known  horticulturist  of  Augusta,  Ga., 
informed  me  that  the  Kentucky,  Charles  Downing,  and  Crescent  endured 
the  southern  sun  well,  and  that  the  Captain  Jack  and  Sharpless  were  fine 
with  them  ;  all  the  purple  cane  and  black-cap  raspberries  did  well,  but  none 
of  the  foreign  kinds  thrived.  Mr.  Berkmans  remarked  that,  even  after  ten 
years  of  bearing,  he  hesitated  to  express  a  positive  opinion  concerning  a 
fruit,  so  great  are  the  differences  caused  by  location  and  soil.  It  is  your 
young  men  that  have  been  two  or  three  years  in  the  business,  who  have 
positive  opinions  on  every  subject. 

In  the  suburbs  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  I  found  three-quarters  of  an  acre  of 
strawberries  that  had  yielded  a  clear  profit  of  $800  in  one  season.  The 
preparation  and  culture  for  this  profitable  crop  were  as  follows :  A  good 
34 


266  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

coat  of  manure  was  spread  early  in  spring  and  plowed  under.  Cow-peas 
were  then  sown  and  plowed  under  in  August,  when  another  coat  of 
manure  was  harrowed  in.  Planting  was  commenced  August  loth,  and 
the  plants  set  fourteen  inches  from  each  other,  in  beds  with  alleys  between 
twenty-eight  inches  wide.  They  were  worked  with  a  cultivator,  mulched 
with  pine  straw  in  January,  and  stimulated  from  time  to  time  with  liquid 
manure.  The  fact  that  they  secured  a  good  home  market  accounts,  in 
part,  for  the  large  profit. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Captain  Sigwald,  himself  a  successful  horti- 
culturist, I  was  able  to  visit  many  strawberry  plantations  in  the  vicinity 
of  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  will  give  a  few  statistics  from  one  of  the  most 
flourishing.  The  plants  were  vigorous,  and  the  long  rows  clean  and  free 
from  runners.  The  best  plants  had  been  set  out  in  the  preceding  Septem- 
ber. The  force  employed  to  set  five  and  a  half  acres  was  :  five  hands  taking 
up  the  plants  with  a  large  patent  transplanter  that  brought  away  a  ball  of 
earth  with  the  roots  ;  five  more  laborers  "  toting,"  or  carrying  on  hand- 
barrows,  the  plants  from  the  propagating  bed  to  the  fruiting  field,  and  four 
planting.  The  expense  of  planting  was  $15  per  acre.  From  the  five  and 
a  half  acres,  there  were  shipped  to  New  York  15,200  quarts,  on  which  the 
freight,  at  fifteen  cents  per  quart,  amounted  to  $2,280.  Commission  on 
sales  was  $413, —  leaving  a  balance  of  only  $1,670,  and  out  of  this  all  other 
expenses  had  to  come.  Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  the  expense  of 
marketing  the  crop  was  greater  than  the  expense  of  growing  it  and  the  net 
profit  combined — a  condition  of  things  that  should  not  last.  The  freight 
has  been  reduced  to  ten  cents  per  quart  this  year,  I  understand. 

The  Monarch  seems  peculiarly  adapted  to  East  Tennessee,  and  Mr. 
Ed.  S.  Sheppard,  who  first  introduced  them,  found  a  sensation  resulting 
that  in  its  proportions  resembled  the  mammoth  berry. 

The  Crystal  City  and  Captain  Jack  are  favorite  varieties  in  Missouri. 

For  the  latitude  and  climate  of  New  York,  and  westward,  much 
suggestion  has  been  given  already. 

Mr.  J.  T.  Lovett,  of  Little  Silver,  N.  J.,  gives  the  following  list  as  the 
best  selection  for  their  light  sandy  soils : 


FOR   THE    HOME    GARDEN.  FOR    MARKET OF  VALUE   IN  THE 

ORDER    NAMED. 

Strawberries. 

Strawberries. 
French's  Seedling — best  early  crop. 

Charles  Downing — best  medium,  or  main  crop.      Wilson's  Albany,    }  ^^    ^.  meni 
Kentucky — best  late.  Captain  Jack,         J 


Suggestive  Experiences. 


267 


FOR   THE    HOME    GARDEN. 


Red  Raspberries. 

*  Herstine — best  early. 

Turner — best  entirely  hardy  early. 

Cuthbert — best  medium  and  late. 


FOR    MARKET OF    VALUE    IN    THE 

ORDER   NAMED. 

Strawberries. 


Crescent  Seedling, 
Charles  Downing, 
Downer's  Prolific, 


For  near  market. 


Black-cap  Raspberries. 

Doolittle's  Improved — best  early. 
Mammoth  Cluster — best  medium  and 
late. 

Mammoth  Blackberries. 

Wilson's  Early — best  early. 
Kittatinny — best  main  crop. 


Currants. 

.Cherry — best  red. 

Red  Dutch — best  for  culinary  purposes. 

White  Grape — best  white. 

Victoria — best  late. 

Black  Naples — best  black. 


Gooseberries. 


Downing. 


Red  Raspberries. 

Cuthbert. 
Brandywine. 

Black-cap  Raspberries. 

Mammoth  Cluster. 
Doolittle's  Improved. 

Blackberries. 
Kittatinny. 
f  Wilson's  Early. 

Currants. 
Cherry. 
Red  Dutch. 
Black  Naples. 

Gooseberries. 
Downing. 
Houghton  Seedling. 


In  the  Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  J.  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  I 
find  the  following  interesting  statement  from  the  well-known  horticulturist, 
Mr.  P.  T.  Quinn. 


"  ONE    ACRE    OF     STRAWBERRIES. 

"  NEWARK,  October,  1878. 

"  The  following  are  the  methods  of  culture  and  the  products  of  one  acre  of 
strawberries,  grown  on  my  farm  near  Newark,  during  the  season  of  1878.  The 
ground  on  which  these  strawberries  were  grown  was  planted  with  Early  Rose  pota- 

*  "  Requires  winter  protection  to  insure  a  crop. 

1  "  In  former  years,  this  was  the  most  profitable  of  all  sorts,  but  latterly  it  is  so  frequently  injured  by  winter,  and  so 
generally  attacked  by  disease  or  insects  throughout  the  State,  as  to  render  it  uncertain." 


268  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

toes,  and  heavily  manured  in  the  spring  of  1877.  These  potatoes  were  dug  and 
marketed  during  the  last  week  in  July  and  first  week  in  August  of  the  same  year. 
The  ground  was  at  once  cleared  off,  plowed  and  harrowed  smoothly.  Furrows 
were  then  opened  four  or  five  inches  deep  and  two  and  a  half  feet  apart.  Between 
the  1 5th  and  22d  of  August,  1877,  the  strawberry  plants  were  set  in  these  furrows 
from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  apart,  without  any  manure  being  added.  Some 
plants  died  here  and  there,  but  the  bulk  of  those  set  out  made  a  strong  growth 
before  cold  weather.  They  were  kept  free  from  weeds  by  running  a  cultivator 
twice  between  the  rows  and  hoeing  twice.  This  treatment  kept  the  ground  abso- 
lutely free  from  weeds.  In  the  middle  of  December,  the  plants  were  covered  over 
with  a  compost  of  the  sweepings  of  the  vegetable  and  fish  markets,  with  some  horse 
manure  mixed  through  it.  The  whole  was  thoroughly  decayed  and  light  in  charac- 
ter. About  the  middle  of  April,  1878,  the  coarsest  part  of  this  mulch  was  raked  off 
the  strawberry  plants,  and  left  in  the  spaces  between  the  rows,  the  finer  portion 
being  left  among  the  plants.  To  the  coarse  part  raked  off  was  added  salt  hay, 
pressed  under  the  leaves  of  the  plants  on  either  side  of  the  rows,  enough 
being  added  to  keep  the  soil  around  the  plants  moist  and  the  fruit  free  from 
grit.  There  was  no  disturbance  of  the  soil  in  any  way  in  the  spring,  beyond 
the  cutting  off  at  the  surface  of  a  few  straggling  weeds  that  started  up  here 
and  there. 

"  The  varieties  grown  upon  this  acre  were  '  Charles  Downing '  and  *  Green  Pro- 
lific,' and   the   yield  was   five   thousand   four   hundred   and  eighty-seven  (5,487) 
quarts.     The  gross  receipts  from  this  acre  of  berries  was  seven  hundred  and  ninety^ 
five  dollars  and  sixty-one  cents  ($795.61).    Deducting  the  commissions  and  picking' 
the  fruit,  the  net  returns  were  $620.60." 


Messrs.  Gibson  and  Bennett,  of  New  Jersey,  stated  before  the  Western 
New  York  Horticultural  Society,  that  they  "  liked  the  bedding  system, 
say  four-row  beds,  with  plants  one  foot  apart  each  way,  and  two-feet  walks 
between  the  beds.  We  fertilize  with  fine  horse  manure,  spreading  it 
heavily  and  plowing  it  under.  We  start  plants  in  pots,  and  transfer  them 
to  the  beds  in  September,  the  earlier  the  better.  These  potted  plants 
form  fine,  large  crowns,  ready  for  the  finest  fruit.  The  beds  are 
covered  with  manure  January  1st  The  fruit  is  picked  the  following 
June,  and  the  beds  then  plowed  under  at  once,  and  planted  with  other 
crops." 

By  this  system,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  plants  occupy  the  ground  but 
about  ten  months,  and  little  or  no  cultivation  is  given.  It  is  practically 
the  same  method  as  that  employed  around  Charleston,  S.  C,  and,  I  am 
inclined  to  think,  could  often  be  practiced  at  the  North  with  great  profit. 
In  contrast,  Mr.  J.  K.  Sharpless  said,  on  the  same  occasion :  "  We  grow 
in  the  hill  system,  and  expect  the  plants  to  last  four  or  five  years";  adding, 
"  My  experience  teaches  me  that  strawberries  should  not  be  cultivated 


Suggestive  Experiences.  269 

deeply  until  their  season  of  rest  is  over,  say  the  last  of  August"  I  think 
this  view  sound. 

Mr.  E.  B.  Underhill,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  said  that  he  "valued 
the  Golden  Defiance  for  late  fruit.  The  Glendale  is  more  vigorous.  I 
think  highly  of  the  Champion  and  Kentucky.  The  Duncan  is  our  best 
early  of  those  well  tested.  As  the  mid-market  in  this  section  will  prob- 
ably be  glutted  with  Crescents,  I  shall  take  great  pains  with  the 
Cumberland  Triumph,  which,  picked  in  pints  (on  account  of  its  softness), 
will  yield  almost  as  well,  and  bring  more  dollars  than  any  sort  I  have 
tested  yet." 

From  Mr.  Frank  S.  Ailing,  I  learn  that  all  the  small  fruits  succeed 
finely  on  the  shores  of  Puget  Sound,  Washington  Territory. 

I  will  close  this  chapter  of  experiences  with  a  very  interesting  letter 
from  the  Rev.  Mr.  A.  A.  Von  Iffland,  of  Quebec,  who  gives  an  admirable 
statement  of  the  conditions  of  success  in  the  latitude  of  Northern  Canada. 
It  will  be  seen  that  his  light,  warm  soil  makes  a  difference  of  several 
degrees  of  latitude  in  his  favor. 

"  My  soil  is  of  a  light,  gravelly  nature,  with  a  subsoil  of  coarse  sand.  It 
requires  annual  applications  of  large  quantities  of  manure  to  bring  about  the  best 
results,  but  then  yields  generous  returns.  It  is  warm  and  quick,  and  so  porous  that 
it  can  be  worked  almost  immediately  after  the  heaviest  showers.  Plants  form  roots 
in  this  soil  with 'marvelous  rapidity.  All  kinds  of  vegetables  can  be  successfully 
cultivated.  Potatoes,  tomatoes,  squash,  corn,  carrots,  parsnips,  melons,  cucumbers, 
beans,  and  peas  are  grown  to  perfection.  Of  course,  it  is  liable  to  suffer  severely 
in  a  drought — an  evil  which  I  find  is  best  obviated  by  plenty  of  barn-yard  manure 
and  cultivation.  The  climate  is  doubtless  severe,  and  the  winters  long,  but  the 
abundance  of  snow  affords  the  best  kind  of  protection  and  is  of  the  greatest 
possible  advantage  in  the  culture  of  small  fruits.  Winter  sets  in  with  us  some- 
times as  early  as  the  first  of  November,  sometimes  not  till  the  middle  of  December, 
and  the  snow  has  not  disappeared  from  the  vicinity  of  the  fences  till  the  last  week 
in  April.  The  average  depth  of  snow  is  4^  feet,  and  we  have  cold  spells  of  three 
or  four  days  at  a  time,  when  the  glass  varies  between  20  and  30  degrees  below 
zero. 


"  STRAWBERRIES. 

"  I  think  that  all  the  varieties  which  are  cultivated  in  the  United  States  can  be 
cultivated  here  under  the  same  conditions  of  soil.  I  grow  successfully  the  Colonel 
Cheney,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Wilson,  Charles  Downing,  Nicanor,  Green  Prolific, 
Monarch  of  the  West,  Seth  Boyden,  but  have  discarded  Jucunda  and  Kentucky.  I 
have  had  the  greatest  success  with  the  Cheney,  Charles  Downing,  Wilson,  and 


270  Success  with   Small  Fruits. 

Triomphe,  in  the  order  written.  I  plant  both  in  fall  and  spring,  but  prefer  fall 
setting  when  it  can  be  done  early  and  you  have  good  plants. 

"  I  used  to  strike  plants  in  three-inch  pots,  but  have  abandoned  that  plan,  and 
instead,  lay  the  runners  as  early  as  I  can  get  them  (from  ist  to  2oth  July),  and  when 
well  rooted,  set  them  out,  with  a  ball  of  earth,  from  i5th  to  2oth  August.  If  the 
season  is  at  all  moist,  so  that  the  young  plants  make  good  progress  before  the  frosts 
set  in  (about  middle  of  October),  I  get  a  good  crop  (half  a  full  crop)  the  following 
summer.  From  plants  set  in  the  spring,  I  take  no  fruit.  With  this  exception,  fall 
and  spring  settings  are  treated  alike.  As  the  cultivation  is  all  done  by  hand,  I  have 
found  that  planting  in  beds  of  three  rows  each  combines  the  greatest  advantages. 
The  rows  are  15  inches  apart,  and  the  plants  18  inches  apart  in  the  row — in  the  quin- 
cunx form  ;  each  bed  is  separated  from  the  rest  by  a  path  30  inches  wide.  I  need  not 
say  that  the  soil  has  been  previously  well  enriched — with  compost,  generally,  and  well- 
decomposed  manure.  In  fact,  as  I  usually  plant  on  soil  from  which  a  crop  of  pota- 
toes has  been  removed,  the  ground  has  received  two  applications  the  year  the  plants 
are  set.  As  the  Colonel  Cheney  is  my  favorite,  in  order  to  fertilize  it,  I  plant  alternate 
beds  of  some  good  staminate  variety,  Charles  Downing,  Triomphe,  or  Wilson.  The 
cultivation  of  the  young  plants  the  first  season  consists  in  cutting  off  any  runners  that 
may  form,  and  keeping  them  clear  of  weeds.  When  well  established,  the  beds  are 
top-dressed  with  an  inch  or  two  of  old  manure ;  this  feeds  the  plants,  keeps  the  soil 
about  the  roots  moist,  and  acts  as  a  mulch  when  the  fruit  sets,  and  yields  the  follow- 
ing summer.  The  following  spring  and  summer,  nothing  is  done  to  these  beds  till 
after  fruiting,  except  to  hoe  out  the  weeds.  After  fruiting,  a  thorough  weeding  is 
effected,  and  the  runners  are  cut  every  three  weeks  :  and  before  the  frosts  set  in,  the 
beds  are  given  a  top-dressing  of  old  manure.  After  the  second  crop  of  fruit  is  taken 
off,  they  are  weeded,  and  the  runners  are  allowed  to  strike.  The  third  spring,  wood 
ashes  are  applied ;  and,  after  fruiting,  the  plants  are  turned  under.  No  winter  pro- 
tection is  given  to  the  plants,  unless  you  except  the  top-dressing  of  manures — but 
this  is  sometimes  not  applied  till  spring — and  I  observe  no  appreciable  difference 
between  the  plants  with  and  those  without  it.  What  I  do  observe  is  that  an  early 
winter,  and  plenty  of  snow,  kill  fewer  plants  than  a  winter  in  which  the  snow-falls 
have  been  delayed  till  after  frosts  and  rains. 

"  Strawberries  begin  to  ripen  with  us  about  the  28th  of  June,  and  raspberries 
about  the  i5th  of  July.  With  the  above  treatment,  I  have  grown  Wilsons  and 
Cheneys  at  the  rate  of  1 1 ,000  quarts,  or  344  bushels,  to  the  acre. 


"  RASPBERRIES. 

"  I  prefer  fall  planting,  which  may  be  done  as  late  as  they  can  be  put  in. 
I  have  set  them  the  last  day  of  October,  without  losing  one.  I  plant  them  four 
feet  apart,  but  five  would  be  better,  and  tie  the  canes,  when  grown,  to  stakes  four 
and  a  half  feet  high.*  Sometimes  I  have  laid  them  down,  and  sometimes  have 
tied  up  the  young  canes  to  the  stakes  in  the  fall,  and  I  find  but  little  difference. 
They  always  bear,  and  are  never  winter-killed. 

"The  following  fall,  of  course;  when  planted,   the  canes  are  cut  back,  so  as  to  be  only  six  inches  aboveground." 


Suggestive  Experiences.  271 

"  As  to  blackberries,  I  have  but  little  experience.  That  blackberries  will  suc- 
ceed here,  some  canes  I  saw  i5th  August,  in  a  friend's  garden,  some  two  miles 
from  my  house,  afford  ample  proof.  They  were  loaded  with  clusters  of  magnifi- 
cent, large,  luscious  fruit,  and  were  equally  prolific  last  year.  My  friend  told  me 
he  was  obliged  to  give  them  very  warm  protection ;  literally  bury  them  in  straw 
and  earth. 

"  Red  and  black  currants  grow  well  with  us,  under  ordinary  treatment.  Goose- 
berries, however,  are  liable  to  mildew ;  that  is,  the  English  varieties.  The  native  and 
hybrids,  of  course,  are  safe  enough.  Still,  under  some  conditions,  I  have  seen  the 
English  varieties  without  a  touch  of  mildew.  My  English  varieties  mildewed 
badly  this  summer,  and  the  man  from  whom  I  got  them  says  he  has  never  seen 
it  in  his  garden,  not  far  from  me.  I  went  to  see  his  bushes,  and  there  was  not  a 
sign  of  mildew  affecting  his  gooseberries,  which  were  very  large  and  fine." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


A    FEW    RULES   AND    MAXIMS. 


OUGGESTIVE  experiences   and   the    methods   of  successful    men  are 
O  usually  far  more  helpful  than  a  system  of  rules.      Nevertheless,  I  have 

thought  that  some  concise  max- 
ims and  formulas  would  be  of  use 
to  those  not  yet  well  versed  in 
the  labors  of  a  fruit  farm.  Such 
rules,  also,  may  be  of  service  to 
the  unfortunates  who  are  de- 
pendent on  the  "  hired  man," 
since  they  can  be  copied  and 
given  to  this  minister  of  destiny 
whose  hands  wq^jk  out  our  weal 
or  woe  so  largely.  The  artist  has 
,~  portrayed  two  types  of  workmen 
.  that  are  incorrigible.  The  one 
57  slashes  away  with  his  hap-hazard 
hoe,  while  he  looks  and  talks  in 
another  direction.  His  tongue, 
at  least,  is  rarely  idle,  and  his  curiosity  awakes  when  he  does.  If  any  one 
or  anything  goes  by,  he  must  watch  it  while  in  sight  and  then  comment  and 


A  Hap-hazard  Hoe. 


272 


A  Few  Rules  and  Maxims.  273 

expectorate.  He  is  not  only  versed  in  all  the  coarse  gossip  concerning  his 
neighbors,  but  also  can  talk  by  the  hour  of  the  short-comings  of  even  their 
horses  and  dogs.  The  virtues  of  man  or  beast,  however,  make  but  little 
impression  on  what  answers  in  his  organism  for  a  mind.  That  which  is 
good,  wholesome  and  refined  interests  him  no  more  than  strawberries 
would  a  buzzard.  To  the  degree  that  he  is  active,  he  usually  makes  havoc. 
The  weeds  do  not  suffer  seriously  from  his  efforts,  but  if  you  have  a  few 
choice  plants,  a  single  specimen  or  two  of  something  unpurchasable  and 
rare,  or  a  seedling  that  you  dream  may  have  a  future,  the  probabilities  are 
that,  unless  watched  and  warned,  he  will  extirpate  them  utterly.  It  rarely 
happens  that  you  can  teach  this  type  of  man  better  things.  The  leopard 
may  change  his  spots  and  the  Ethiopian  his  skin,  but  this  man — though 
resembling  both  outwardly,  through  his  uncleanliness  —  never  changes.  His 
blunders,  garrulity  and  brainless  labor,  however,  would  transform  Izaak 
Walton. himself  into  a  dragon  of  irritability.  The  effort  to  reform  such  a 
man  would  be  heroic,  indeed,  but  let  those  who  enter  upon  such  a  task 
give  their  whole  souls  to  it,  and  not  attempt  gardening  at  the  same  time ; 
unless  the  garden  is  maintained  for  the  sake  of  the  man,  and  they,  in  their 
zeal,  approach  Titania  in  her  midsummer-night's  madness,  when  she  bade 
her  attendant  fairies  to  "  feed  "  the  "  translated  "  weaver — 

"  With  apricocks  and  dewberries, 
"  With  purple  grapes,  green  figs,  and  mulberries. " 

This  degenerate  descendant  of  Bottom,  however,  needs  no  such  consid- 
erate attention ;  he  will  help  himself  to  the  choicest  and  rarest. 

Scarcely  better  than  the  type  portrayed  above  is  the  deliberate 
workman,  who  can  soon  show  you  how  easy  it  is  to  spend  two  dollars 
in  order  to  make  one.  He  has  lighted  his  pipe  and  sat  down  to  a  brief, 
light  task,  as  a  noted  general  did  before  Richmond.  His  wages — the 
one  thing  he  is  prompt  about — will  leave  little  margin  of  profit  on  the 
berries  that  he  has  packed,  although,  by  reason  of  his  ancient  pipe,  they  may 
outrank  all  the  fruit  in  the  market.  This  man  never  walks  nor  runs,  no 
matter  how  great  the  emergency  and  press  of  work — he  merely  jogs 
around,  and  picks  a  raspberry  as  he  would  pry  out  a  bowlder.  He  does 
his  work  fairly  well,  usually ;  but  the  fact  that  it  would  require  a  hundred 
such  men  to  care  for  a  small  place  causes  not  the  slightest  solicitude.  He 
would  smoke  just  as  stolidly  and  complacently  after  bringing  wreck  and 
ruin  to  a  dozen  employers. 

Men  of  these  types  are  as  disastrous  on  a  fruit  farm  as  the  Lachnos- 
terna  or  currant  worm.  Unless  the  reader  has  far  more  native  goodness 
35 


274 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


and  acquired  grace  than  the  writer,  he  had  better  dismiss  them  speedily, 

or  his  feelings  may  resemble  those  that  Sam  Jubilee  described  on  page  134. 

I  have  given  two  extreme  examples,  but  there  are  also  gradations  of  these 

characters,  who  had  better 

find    employment   from 

those    requiring    "hands" 

only.     Successful  work  on 

a  fruit  farm,  or  in  a  garden, 

requires  a  quick    brain,  a 

keen  eye,  a  brisk  step  and 

a  deft  hand.     Many  of  its 

labors    are    light,    and    no 

profit    can    follow    unless 

they   are    performed    with 

dispatch,  at  the  right  time 

and  in  the  right  way. 

The  majority  of  those 
we  employ  wish  to  do 
right  and  to  give  satisfac- 


The  Deliberate  Workman. 


tion.  They  are  not  only  willing  but  are  glad  to  learn ;  and  while  only 
actual  and  long-continued  experience  can  make  a  thorough  gardener, 
perhaps  the  following  rules,  maxims  and  principles,  embodying  the  expe- 
rience of  others,  may  be  of  service  to  beginners,  giving  them  a  start  in  the 
right  direction  : 

I.   Never  put  off"  till  spring,  work  that  might  be  done  in  the  fall.     Spring 
is  always  too  short  for  the  labor  it  brings,  even  when  not  wet  and  late. 


A  Few  Rules  and  Maxims.  275 

2.  Plow  in  the  fall  all  heavy,  loamy  land  that  you  intend  to  plant  in 
spring.     This  exposes  it  to  the  action  of  frost,  and,  if  done  late,  tends  to 
destroy  insects  and  their  larvae.     Do  not  plow  sand  in  the  fall  unless  there 
is  upon  it  sod,  stubble,  etc.,  that  is  to  decay. 

3.  Top-dress  very  light  land  with  an  inch  or  two  of  clay  or  heavy  loam 
in  November,  and  let  the  winter  frosts  and  rains  blend  the  two  diverse  soils 
to  their  mutual  advantage.     Harrowing  in  fertilizers  on  light  ground  is 
better  than  plowing  them  in. 

4.  In  the  fall,  top-dress  all  the  small  fruits  with  compost,  bone  dust  or 
other  fertilizers  that  have  staying  powers,  spreading  it  along  close  to  the 
rows  and  over  the  roots,  and  working  it  into  the  soil  lightly  by  cultivation. 
This  gives  everything  a  vigorous  start  in  the  spring. 

5.  If  possible,  take  out  before  winter  all  perennial  weeds — sorrel,  white 
clover,  etc.,  but  do  not  greatly  disturb  the  roots  of  strawberries  just  on  the 
approach  of  winter. 

6.  In  most  localities  and  soils,  raspberries,  currants,  gooseberries  and 
blackberries  do  better  if  planted  any  time  after  they  drop  their  foliage  in 
the  fall.      Such  planting  can  be  continued  even  into  the  winter,  on  mild, 
still  days,  when  frost  is  neither  in  the  air  nor  soil.      Frozen  earth   should 
never    come    in     contact    with    roots.      I     plant     strawberries,     also,     all 
through  the  autumn,  even  into  December ;  and  before  the  ground  freezes, 
hoe  upon  them  one  or  two  inches  of  soil,  raking  it  off  as  soon  as  freezing 
weather  is  over  in  the  spring. 

7.  The  earlier  plants  are  set  out  in  spring,  the  better,  if  the  ground  and 
weather  are  suitable.      It  is  usually  best  to  wait  till  the  danger  of  severe 
frost  is  over.     Do  not  plant  when  the  ground  is  wet  and  sticky,  or  dry 
and  lumpy,  at  any  season,  if  it  can  be  helped.     Do  not  plant  in  a  high, 
hot  or  cold  wind.     Make  the  most  of  mild,  still  and  cloudy  days.     If  plants 
can  be  set  before  a  storm  or  shower,  much  is  gained ;  but  this  is  not  essential 
if  roots  are  imbedded  their  whole  length  in  moist  (not  wet)  earth,  and  the 
soil  made  very  firm  around  them.     Plantings  may  be  made  in  very  dry 
weather  if  the  land  is  forked  or  plowed  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  plants 
set  immediately  in  the  fresh,  moist  earth.      Keep  the  roots  from  contact 
with  unfermented  manure. 

8.  In   handling  plants  at  any  time,  never  let    the  little  rootlets  dry 
and  shrivel.    Keep  them  from  sun,  frost  and  wind.      If  the  roots  of  plants 
received  in  boxes  are  frozen,  let  them  thaw  out  in  a  cellar  undisturbed. 
If  /oots   are  black,   shriveled,   or  musty  from  long  transportation,  wash 
them  in  clean  water,  and,  in  the  case  of  strawberries,  shorten  them  one- 
third,  and  then  plant  at  once  in  moist  soil. 


276  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

9.  In  cultivating  strawberry  plants  recently  set,  stir  the  surface  merely, 
with  a  rake,  not  over  half  an  inch  deep. 

10.  Never    disturb    roots  by  working    deeply    among    them   in    dry 
weather.     At  such  times,  stir  the  surface  only,  and  often. 

11.  If  you  water  at  all,  water  thoroughly,  and  keep  the  soil  moist  till 
rain  comes,  otherwise  watering  is  an  injury. 

12.  The    easiest    and    cheapest    way    to    keep    a    garden    clean    is 
to    rake    the    ground  over   once  a  week    on   sunny  days.     This  method 
destroys    the    weeds    when    they    are    just    appearing,     and     maintains 
moisture. 

13.  Pick  fruit,  if  possible,  when  it  is  dry,  and  before  it  is  over-ripe.    Do 
not  leave  it  in  the  sun  or  wind,  but  take  it  at  once  to  coolness  and  shade. 
Pack  carefully  and  honestly.     A  quart  of  small,  decayed,  green  or  muddy 
berries    scattered    through    a    crate    of  fine    fruit  may   reduce    its    price 
one-half. 

14.  Mulch  everything  you  can.    Save  all  the  leaves  and  litter  that  can 
be  gathered  on  the  place,  and  apply  it  around  the  plants  only  when  the 
ground  is  moist.     Dry  ground  covered  with  mulch  may  be  kept  dry  all 
summer. 

15.  Practice  summer  pinching  and  pruning  only  when  plants  are  in 
their  spring  and  early  summer  growth,  and  not  after  the  wood  begins  to 
ripen.     If  delayed  till  then,  wait  till  the  plant  is  dormant  in  the  fall. 

1 6.  Sandy  or  gravelly  land  can  usually  be  worked  immediately  after 
rain  ;  but  if  heavy  land  is  plowed  or  cultivated  when  wet,  or  so  dry  as  to 
break  up  in  lumps,  it  is  injured. 

17.  Watch  all  crops  daily.     Plants  are  living  things,  and  need  atten- 
tion.    Diseases,  insects,  drought  or  wet,  may  destroy  them  in  a  few  days, 
or  even  hours,  if  left  uncared  for. 

1 8.  If  you  cultivate  strawberries  in  the  spring,  do  the  work  very  early 
— as  soon  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to  work.     After  the  fruit  buds 
show  themselves,  stir  the  ground  with  a  rake  or  hoe  only,  and  never  more 
than  an  inch  deep.     I  advocate   early   spring  cultivation,   art  J  then   the 
immediate  application  of  the  mulch. 

19.  Just  as  the  ground  begins  to  freeze,  in  the  fall  or  early  winter, 
cover    strawberry   plants    with    some    light    material    that    will   prevent 
alternate  freezing    and    thawing  during  the    winter.     Never   use    heavy, 
'Unfermented    manure   for   this   purpose.      Leaves,    straw,    salt    hay,  light 
stable  manure,  or  any  old  litter  from  the  garden,  answers. 

20.  In    setting    raspberry   plants,     or    any   fruit,   never  set  in  hard, 
unprepared  soil.     Do  not  stick  them  in  little  shallow  holes,  nor  in  deep, 


A  Few  Rules  and  Maxims.  277 

narrow  ones,  wherein  the  roots  are  all  huddled  together;  make  the  holes 
large  and  deep,  either  with  the  plow  or  spade,  fill  the  bottom  partly  with 
fine,  rich,  moist,  surface  soil,  free  from  lumps  and  manure,  and  spread  the 
roots  out  on  this,  then  fill  in  with  very  fine  pulverized  earth,  setting  the 
plant,  in  light  land,  one  or  two  inches  deeper  than  it  grew  naturally  ;  and 
in  heavy  land,  at  the  same  depth.  If  manure  is  used,  spread  it  on  the 
surface,  around,  not  up  against,  the  stem  of  the  plant. 

21.  Both,  for  the  sake  of  economy  and  thoroughness,   use  the  plow 
and  cultivator  rather  than  fork  and  hoe,  whenever  it  is  possible.     Ground 
can  be  laid  out  with  a  view  to  this  rule. 

22.  In  cultivating  crops  among  trees,  use  short  whiffletrees,  with  the 
traces  so  fastened  as  to  prevent  the  young  trees  from  being  scratched  and 
wounded. 

23.  Save,  with  scrupulous  economy,  all  wood  ashes,  soapsuds,  and  all 
articles  having   fertilizing  qualities.     A  compost  heap  is  like  a  sixpenny 
savings  bank.     Small  and  frequent  additions  soon  make  a  large  aggregate. 
The  fruit  grower  and  his  land  usually  grow  rich  together,  and  in  the  same 
proportion. 

24.  Once  more  I  repeat  —  in  handling  and  setting  out  plants,  never  let 
the  roots  shrivel  and  dry  out.    After  plants  and  cuttings  are  in  the  ground, 
never  leave  them  just  long  enough  to  dry  out  and  die.     Keep  them  moist 
—  not  wet  and  sodden,  but  moist  all  the   time.      In  setting  out  plants, 
especially  strawberries,  spread  out  the  roots,  and  make  the  ground  very 
firm  about  them.      In   trenching  stock,  put  the  roots  down  deeply,  and 
cover  well  half-way  up  the  stems.      The  gardener  who  fails  to  carry  out 
the    principles    under  this   number  has   not  learned  the  letter  A  of  his 
business. 

Mr.  William  Parry  gives  the  following  rule  for  ascertaining  the  number 
of  plants  required  for  one  acre  of  land,  which  contains  43,560  square 
feet: 

"  Multiply  the  distance  in  feet  between  the  rows  by  the  distance  the 
plants  are  set  apart  in  the  row,  and  their  product  will  be  the  number  of 
square  feet  for  each  plant  or  hill,  which,  divided  into  the  number  of  feet  in 
an  acre,  will  show  how  many  plants  or  hills  the  acre  will  contain,  thus  : 


Blackberries  ................  8  feet  by  3     =  24)43,  5^°(  I»^I5  plants. 

Raspberries   ................  7       "       3     =  2i)43,56o(  2,074  plants. 

Strawberries  ................  5       "       i     =  5)43>s6o(  8,7  12  plants. 

Strawberries  ................  3       "     16  in.  4)43,  56o(  10,890  plants." 

The  same  rule  can  be  applied  to  all  other  plants  or  trees. 


2/8 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


Temporary  Quarters  for  Pickers. 


I  would  suggest  that  fruit 
growers  take  much  pains  to  secure 
trustworthy  pickers.  Careless, 
slovenly  gathering  of  the  fruit 

may  rob  it  of  half  its  value.  It  often  is  necessary  for  those  who  live 
remote  from  villages  to  provide  quarters  for  their  pickers,  such  as  the 
artist  has  suggested.  Usually,  the  better  the  quarters,  the  better  the  class 
that  can  be  obtained  to  do  the  work. 


/ 

fum 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


VARIETIES   OF    STRAWBERRIES. 


TO  attempt  to  describe  all  the  strawberries  that  have  been  named 
would  be  a  task  almost  as  interminable  as  useless.  This  whole  ques- 
tion of  varieties  presents  a  different  phase  every  four  or  five  years. 
Therefore,  I  treat  the  subject  in  my  final  chapter,  in  order  that  I  may  give 
revision  as  often  as  there  shall  be  occasion  for  it,  without  disturbing  the 
body  of  the  book.  A  few  years  since,  certain  varieties  were  making  almost 
as  great  a  sensation  as  the  Sharpless.  They  are  now  regarded  as  little 
better  than  weeds,  in  most  localities.  Thus,  the  need  of  frequent  revision 
is  clearly  indicated.  In  chapter  xiii.  I  have  spoken  of  those  varieties  that 
have  become  so  well  established  as  to  be  regarded  as  standards,  or  which 
are  so  promising  and  popular  as  to  deserve  especial  mention.  More 
precise  and  technical  descriptions  will  now  be  given.  I  shall  not  copy  old 
catalogues,  or  name  those  kinds  that  have  passed  wholly  out  of  cultivation. 
Such  descriptions  would  have  no  practical  value,  and  the  strawberry 
antiquarian  can  find  them  in  the  older  works  on  this  subject.  Neither 
shall  I  name  many  foreign  kinds,  as  the  majority  of  them  have  little 
value  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Soil,  climate,  locality,  and  other 
reasons,  cause  such  great  differences  in  opinion  in  regard  to  varieties  that 
I  expect  exceptions  to  be  taken  to  every  description.  Many  of  the  new 
sorts  that  I  am  testing  have  not,  as  yet,  proved  themselves  worthy  of 
mention. 


280  Success  with  Small  Fruits, 

Agriculturist. —  Originated  with  the  late  Mr.  Seth  Boyden,  of  Newark, 
N.  J.  Through  the  courtesy  of  an  old  friend  of  Mr.  Boyden,  I  am  able  to 
give  his  description  of  his  own  berry,  copied  from  his  diary  by  a  member 
of  his  family : 

"  No.  10. — Name,  Agriculturist.  A  cross  between  No.  5  and  Peabody's 
Georgia;  a  hardy,  tall  grower,  with  much  foliage  and  few  runners;  berries  very 
large,  broad  shoulders,  slightly  necked,  often  flat,  and  some  coxcombed  or  double, 
high  crimson  color  to  the  centre ;  very  firm,  and  high-flavored.  A  staminate  variety." 

(No.  5  is  the  Green  Prolific.)  The  Agriculturist  was  once  very  pop- 
ular, and  is  still  raised  quite  largely  in  some  localities,  but  is  fast  giving 
way  to  new  varieties.  It  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  light  soils,  but  on  my 
place  has  scalded  and  "dampened  off"  badly.  It  seemingly  has  had  its 
day. 

Boyden 's  No.  30  (Setk  Boyden). —  I  again  let  Mr.  Boyden  describe  his 
own  seedling : 

"  Plant  above  medium  size ;  round  leaf,  deep  green ;  bears  the  summer  heat 
well ;  berries  necked,  rather  long,  large ;  abundance  of  seed  ;  dark  red ;  has  buds, 
blossoms  and  ripe  berries  on  the  same  peduncle ;  is  of  the  Agriculturist  family,  and 
an  eccentric  plant.  Perfect  flower." 

From  the  reference  above,  I  gather  that  No.  5,  or  Green  Prolific,  is  one 
of  the  parents  of  this  famous  berry.  Mr.  Boyden  speaks  of  some  of  his 
other  seedlings  more  favorably  than  of  this — another  instance  of  the  truth 
that  men  do  not  always  form  the  most  correct  judgments  of  their  own 
children.  "  No.  30  "  will  perpetuate  Mr.  Boyden's  name  through  many 
coming  years,  and  all  who  have  eaten  this  superb  berry  have  reason  to 
bless  his  memory.  No.  5  and  No.  10  are  rapidly  disappearing  from  our 
gardens.  The  Boyden  (as  it  should  be  named)  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
sweetest  berries  in  cultivation  —  too  sweet  for  my  taste.  It  responds  nobly 
to  high  culture,  but  it  is  impatient  of  neglect  and  light,  dry  soils.  It  is 
one  of  the  best  market  berries,  and  although  not  hard,  is  firm  and  dry,  and 
thus  is  well  adapted  for  shipping.  It  is  one  of  the  few  fancy  berries 
that  will  endure  long  transportation  by  rail.  As  I  have  stated,  Mr.  Jerole- 
mon  has  raised  327  bushels  of  this  variety  on  an  acre,  and  received  for  the 
same  $1,386.  Give  it  moist  soil  and  cut  the  runners.  A  fine  portrait 
of  the  fruit  may  be  seen  on  page  63. 

Bidwell. —  Foliage  light  green,  plant  very  vigorous;  truss  3  to  5  inches 
high  ;  berry  very  conical,  bright  scarlet,  with  a  neck  highly  glazed,  glossy; 
flesh  firm,  pink ;  calyx  close ;  season  very  early. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  281 

Not  yet  fully  tested,  but  giving  remarkable  promise.  It  has  seemed 
to  me  to  be  the  best  of  the  new  early  berries.  Staminate. 

Beauty. —  Plant  fairly  vigorous,  leaf  crinkled  ;  truss  4  to  6  inches  high  ; 
berry  obtusely  conical;  long,  glazed  neck;  crimson — 3  to  6  inches  in 
circumference ;  flesh  light  pink ;  flavor  excellent ;  calyx  spreading ;  sea- 
son early ;  a  very  fine  and  beautiful  variety  for  the  amateur  and  fancy 
market.  It  requires  petting,  and  repays  it.  It  makes  very  few  runners. 
It  originated  with  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand,  of  Irvington,  N.  J.  Staminate. 

Black  Defiance. — Plant  vigorous,  if  the  soil  suits  it;  foliage  dark  green, 
low,  bushy  ;  downy  leaf-stalk  ;  truss  low ;  2^  to  4  inches  ;  berry  very  dark 
crimson ;  very  obtuse  conical,  often  round  and  irregular ;  early ;  flesh  dark 
crimson,  flavor  sprightly,  high,  and  rich ;  moderately  productive ;  calyx 
spreading ;  inclined  to  stool ;  its  runners  bear  fruit  in  September.  It  is  one 
of  the  best  varieties  originated  by  Mr.  Durand,  who  has  given  me  the  fol- 
lowing history.  "  It  is  a  seedling  of  Boyden's  Green  Prolific,  impregnated 
by  the  Triomphe  de  Gand.  The  seed  was  planted  in  1860.  The  berry 
was  exceedingly  tart  when  first  red,  and  was  on  that  account  pronounced 
worthless  by  competent  judges  (so  considered).  Having  but  limited 
experience  at  the  time,  I  threw  it  aside,  but  afterward  retained  five  plants 
to  finish  a  row  of  trial  seedlings.  Eventually,  it  was  shown  at  the  exhibi- 
tion of  the  N.  J.  Agricultural  Society,  and  was  awarded  the  first  prize  as 
the  best  new  seedling,  by  such  competent  judges  as  A.  S.  Fuller,  Dr. 
Thurber  and  Chas.  Downing."  From  that  day  to  this,  all  lovers  of  good 
fruit  have  indorsed  their  opinion.  It  is  firm,  and  can  be  shipped  long 
distances.  Staminate. 

Black  Giant. —  Said  to  be  a  decided  improvement  on  the  above,  and  to 
have  the  same  general  characteristics ;  but  not  yet  tested  by  general  culti- 
vation. 

Black  Prince. — An  old  and  once  popular  English  variety,  one  of 
Keen's  seedlings,  now  rarely  grown  in  this  country. 

Brilliant. —  Originated  with  W.  B.  Storer,  of  Akron,  Ohio,  who 
describes  it  as  "  a  large  conical  berry ;  color  a  dark,  glossy  red,  and  deep 
red  all  through ;  flavor  rich.  Plant  very  hardy  and  prolific." 

British  Queen. —  One  of  Myatt's  seedlings,  of  which  Mr.  J.  M. 
Merrick  writes :  "  It  is  perhaps  the  most  famous  berry  ever  raised 
in  England,  where  it  is  a  favorite  for  market."  Unfortunately,  it 
does  not  come  to  full  perfection  here,  and  is  not  only  tender  but 
very  capricious  in  choice  of  soils.  It  is  the  parent  of  many 
excellent  kinds.  The  fruit  is  of  the  largest  size  and  highest  flavor. 
Staminate. 

36 


282  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Brooklyn  Scarlet. —  One  of  the  best-flavored  berries,  but  too  soft, 
except  for  home  use.  Originated  with  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller.  Staminate. 

Boston  Pine. —  Once  a  favorite  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  and  largely 
used  to  fertilize  Hovey's  Seedling.  But  few  are  raised  now,  to  my  knowl- 
edge. Fruit  quite  large;  slightly  conical;  deep,  glossy  crimson;  rather 
firm ;  juicy,  and  of  good  flavor.  The  plant  requires  hill  culture  in  rich 
soil.  Staminate. 

Burr's  New  Pine. — A  medium-sized,  roundish  berry;  scarlet  in  the 
sun ;  pale  in  the  shade ;  juicy,  sweet,  aromatic,  early,  very  soft.  Pistillate. 

Belle. —  One  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Moore's  seedlings.  New.  I  give  an  extract 
from  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society's  report:  "The  Belle,  we 
think,  is  the  largest  strawberry  ever  exhibited  on  our  tables."  As  yet, 
not  generally  tested. 

Captain  Jack. — Plant  moderately  vigorous  ;  leaf-stalk  smooth,  wiry  ; 
very  dark  green  foliage,  which  in  many  regions  is  inclined  to  burn ;  truss  5 
to  7  inches ;  recumbent ;  very  much  branched,  with  from  12  to  18  berries ; 
berry  light  scarlet,  round,  fair  size  and  uniform  ;  flesh  pink,  moderately 
firm ;  flavor  poor ;  calyx  close ;  season  late  ;  very  productive ;  flowers 
grow  above  the  leaves  ;  the  fruit  endures  transportation  remarkably  well ; 
Staminate.  Originated  with  Mr.  S.  Miller,  of  Blufton,  Mo.,  and  is  a 
seedling  of  the  Wilson. 

Charles  Downing. —  Plant  very  vigorous;  foliage  light  green;  tall  and 
slender;  leaf-stalk  downy;  truss  6  to  7  inches,  slender,  drooping;  8  to  10 
berries,  which  are  scarlet,  with  a  pale  cheek, —  crimson  when  fully  ripe  ; 
berry  round  to  obtuse  conical ;  regular,  the  first  slightly  ridged  ;  some- 
what soft ;  flesh  juicy,  light  pink ;  flavor  very  fine  ;  size  3  to  5  inches 
in  circumference ;  calyx  spreading  and  recurved  ;  season  medium  ;  very 
productive. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  family  varieties,  and  is  planted  every  year  more 
largely  for  market.  With  care,  it  endures  transportation  very  well,  and 
those  who  once  taste  it  ask  for  it  again.  There  are  few,  if  any  other, 
varieties  that  do  so  well  throughout  the  country  at  large,.  Originated 
with  Mr.  J.  S.  Downer,  Fairview,  Ky.  Staminate.  For  illustration,  see 
title-page. 

Champion. —  Plant  vigorous;  foliage  dark  green;  leaf-stalk  downy; 
truss  5  to  6  inches,  branched ;  berry  dark  crimson,  round ;  flesh  rather 
soft,  crimson  ;  flavor  very  good  when  fully  ripe,  but  poor  when  it  first 
turns  red;  size  2^/2  to  5  inches;  calyx  recurved;  season  medium  to 
late ;  exceedingly  productive.  One  of  the  best  and  most  profitable  for 
near  market.  Originated  with  Dr.  J.  C.  Neff,  Carlisle,  Pa.  Pistillate. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  283 

Caroline. —  Plant  a  moderate  grower;  foliage  light  green;  leaf-stalk 
somewhat  downy ;  truss  4  to  5  inches ;  berry  bright  scarlet,  with  a 
varnished  appearance ;  bulky,  conical ;  flesh  scarlet ;  flavor  good ;  size  3 
to  4  inches  ;  calyx  spreading ;  season  medium.  Originated  with  J.  B. 
Moore,  Concord,  Mass.  Staminate. 

Crescent  Seedling. — Plant  vigorous,  tall,  with  dark  green  and  very  slender 
foliage  ;  leaf-stalk  rather  smooth  ;  truss  6  to  8  inches,  well  branched  ;  bearing 
12  to  1 8  berries;  bright  scarlet  berry,  round  to  conical,  with  a  peculiar 
depression  near  the  apex ;  large  ones  somewhat  irregular ;  size  2  to  4 
inches ;  flesh  scarlet ;  flavor  not  good,  unless  grown  on  light  land  and 
the  berry  ripens  in  the  sun  ;  calyx  recurved.  Soft,  for  long  carriage  ;  but 
its  bright  color  and  fair  size,  under  good  culture,  cause  it  to  sell  readily  in 
near  markets.  I  think  the  public  will  demand  better  flavored  berries. 
It  certainly  should.  There  are  few  weeds  that  can  compete  with  the 
Crescent  in  vigorous  growth.  It  does  well  in  the  hot  climate  of  the  South. 
Indeed,  there  are  few  soils  so  poor  and  dry  that  it  cannot  thrive  upon 
them;  and,  at  the  same  time,  under  high  culture,  with  runners  cut,  it 
improves  wonderfully.  It  has  yielded  at  the  rate  of  15,000  quarts  to 
the  acre.  Originated  with  Mr.  William  Parmelee,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  in 
1870.  Pistillate,  or  nearly  so.  For  illustration,  see  page  101. 

Centennial  Favorite. —  Plant  vigorous,  tall,  with  light  green  foliage;  truss 
3  to  7  inches,  much  branched  ;  berry  dark  scarlet,  round  to  flat,  inclined  to 
have  a  neck ;  2  to  4  inches  ;  smooth  and  glossy  in  appearance,  uniform  in 
size ;  flesh  dark  scarlet ;  flavor  fine ;  calyx  spreading ;  season  medium  to 
late  ;  moderately  productive.  Originated  with  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand,  Irving- 
ton,  N.  J.  Pistillate. 

Cinderella. — Plant    very    vigorous,    with    light    green    foliage;     leaf- 
stalks   soft,    downy ;     truss    4    to    6    inches ;     berry    conical,    sometimes 
necked,  bright    scarlet,   glossy  ;  flesh  moderately  firm,  light  pink  ;  flavor 
fair,  but  not  high ;   size   3   to   5   inches  ;  season  early  to  medium ;  calyx 
spreading. 

The  young  plants  are  not  very  productive,  but  I  think  they  would 
improve  greatly  in  this  respect  if  the  runners  were  cut,  and  that  they  would 
bear  better  the  second  year.  The  berry  is  almost  as  beautiful  and 
attractive  as  the  Jucunda,  which  it  resembles  somewhat ;  and  it  can  be 
grown  on  light  soils,  where  the  Jucunda  cannot  thrive.  Originated  with 
Mr.  Oscar  Felton,  of  N.  J.,  1873.  Staminate. 

Continental. — Plant  vigorous ;  leaf-stalk  smooth;  truss  5  to  7  inches,  well 
branched,  bearing  12  to  1 8  berries  ;  berry  dark  crimson,  obtusely  conical ; 
flesh  firm,  scarlet ;  flavor  good ;  calyx  recurving ;  season  late  ;  moder- 


284  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

ately  productive,  and,  under  hill  culture,  very  prolific.  Originated  with 
Mr.  Oscar  Felton.  Staminate. 

When  visiting  Mr.  Felton,  I  saw  several  other  seedlings  of  great 
promise,  which  I  hope  he  will  send  out  at  an  early  date. 

Colonel  Cheney. — Plant  low,  spreading,  vigorous,  with  light  green  foliage  ; 
leaf-stalk  downy ;  truss  3  to  5  inches,  low,  branching ;  berry  light  scarlet, 
long,  conical,  necked — large  ones  very  irregular  ;  flesh  pink,  watery,  soft ; 
the  core  tends  to  pull  out  with  the  hull ;  flavor  poor  ;  calyx  spreading ; 
season  medium  to  late ;  very  productive,  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Purdy,  editor 
Small  Fruit  Recorder,  writes  to  me  that  for  near  markets  it  is  still  grown 
with  great  profit  in  western  New  York.  Pistillate. 

Crimson  Cone. —  (Scotch  Runner  or  Pine-apple).  About  fourteen  years 
ago,  according  to  Mr.  Fuller,  there  were  more  acres  of  this  old-fashioned 
variety  cultivated  for  the  New  York  market  than  of  all  other  kinds 
together.  They  were  also  called  "  Hackensacks,"  and  were  brought  in 
the  small,  handled  baskets  already  described,  and  were  hulled  as  they  were 
picked ;  their  long  neck  making  this  an  easy  task.  They  are  small, 
regular;  conical;  firm,  with  a  rich,  sprightly,  acid  flavor.  It  is  not  a  pistil- 
late, as  many  claim,  Mr.  Fuller  asserts,  but  a  spurious  variety,  largely 
mixed  with  it,  is  a  pistillate.  It  is  one  of  the  historical  strawberries,  but  it 
has  had  its  day.  In  size  and  flavor,  it  is  a  near  approach  to  the  wild  berry. 

Cumberland  Triumph. — Plant  vigorous,  with  dark  green  foliage ;  leaf- 
stalk smooth ;  truss  6  to  7  inches  ;  well  branched  ;  berry  round  and  very 
uniform  in  shape,  pale  scarlet ;  flesh  light  pink,  soft ;  very  large ;  size  3  to 
6  inches ;  calyx  close ;  season  early  to  medium. 

One  of  the  best  for  family  use.  Under  high  culture,  it  is  superb. 
Originated  with  Mr.  Amos  Miller,  of  Carlisle,  Pa.  Staminate. 

Damask  Beauty. — Foliage  very  dark  green ;  leaf-stalk  downy ;  truss 
low,  2^/2  to  4  inches ;  berry  very  light  scarlet;  obtusely  conical ;  size  2  to 
4  inches  ;  flesh  soft,  juicy,  pink ;  flavor  fine ;  calyx  close  ;  season  early. 

A  very  distinct  variety,  and  interesting  to  an  amateur ;  but  of  no  great 
value.  Staminate. 

Duchesse. — Plant  vigorous,  tall ;  leaves  dark  green  ;  leaf- stalk  and  mid- 
rib very  downy ;  truss  7  inches ;  recumbent,  well  branched,  6  to  8  berries 
that  hold  out  well  in  size ;  berry  round,  bulky,  very  uniform,  moderately 
firm  ;  bright  scarlet ;  flesh  pink,  juicy ;  flavor  fine ;  size  3  to  4  inches ; 
season  very  early,  but  continuing  quite  long.  Inclined  to  stool,  or  make 
large  plants  from  a  single  root ;  enormously  productive ;  from  50  to  200 
berries  to  a  plant,  in  hill  culture.  I  regard  it  as  the  best  early  standard 
berry,  and  have  always  found  it  one  of  the  most  profitable  for  market. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  285 

Originated  with  Mr.  D.  H.  Barnes,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  The  shape  of 
the  berry  and  its  remarkable  productiveness  are  indicated  on  page  113. 
Staminate. 

Duncan. — Plant  vigorous;  foliage  light  green;  leaf-stalk  downy; 
truss  5  to  7  inches ;  berry  scarlet,  round  to  oval,  often  decidedly  conical ; 
large  ones  irregular,  and  coxcombed ;  flesh  pink,  not  very  firm ;  flavor 
very  good ;  calyx  close  to  spreading ;  a  productive,  fine  variety,  that, 
I  am  inclined  to  think,  has  not  been  appreciated.  Originated  by  Mr.  J. 
G.  Lucas,  of  Ulster  Co.,  N.  Y.  Staminate. 

Doctor  Nicaise. — A  French  variety;  enormously  large;  soft;  not  pro- 
ductive ;  and  on  my  grounds  wretched  in  flavor. 

Downer's  Prolific. — A  light  scarlet  berry  ;  medium  to  large  ;  oval, 
roundish,  soft ;  acid,  but  of  good  flavor,  and  perfumed  like  the  wild  berry. 
Plant  very  vigorous  and  capable  of  enduring  much  neglect ;  profitable  for 
home  use  and  near  market.  Originated  with  Mr.  J.  S.  Downer,  of  Ken- 
tucky. Staminate. 

Dr.  Warder. — Plant  tall,  moderately  vigorous ;  foliage  light  green  ;  leaf- 
stalk downy ;  truss  7  to  9  inches,  branched,  full  of  different-sized  berries ; 
berry  long,  conical,  well  shouldered,  crimson,  firm ;  flesh  pink ;  flavor 
good  ;  size  4  to  6  inches ;  calyx  close  ;  season  very  late  ;  burns  badly,  needs 
to  be  in  shade.  Staminate.  A  superb  variety  if  it  did  not  lose  its  foliage. 

Early  Hudson. —  Plant  very  vigorous,  with  light  green  foliage;  leaf- 
stalk downy ;  truss  4  to  5  inches,  strong,  well  branched ;  berry  crimson, 
flattish- round  ;  when  large,  somewhat  irregular;  flesh  crimson,  juicy,  soft; 
size  3  to  5  inches ;  season  very  early ;  very  productive.  One  of  the 
best  for  family  use,  and  very  productive  and  fine,  with  runners  cut. 
Pistillate. 

Eliza. —  Plant  moderately  vigorous;  dark  green;  leaf-stalk  downy;  truss 
3  to  5  inches,  stout,  branched ;  berry  light  scarlet,  round  to  conical, 
necked,  large  ones  irregular  and  coxcombed ;  flesh  firm,  white ;  flavor 
excellent ;  calyx  close  ;  season  late  ;  moderately  productive.  One  of  the 
best  foreign  varieties.  Staminate. 

Early  Adela. —  Not  worth  growing  on  my  grounds. 

French's  Seedling. — Plant  vigorous,  with  light  green  foliage;  leaf -stalk 
downy ;  truss  5  to  7  inches ;  berry  round,  scarlet ;  size  medium ;  seeds 
deep-pitted  ;  flesh  pink,  soft ;  flavor  good  ;  calyx  spreading  ;  season  early ; 
moderately  productive.  Found  growing  wild  in  a  meadow,  near  Morris- 
town,  N.  J. 

Forest  Rose. — Plant  moderately  vigorous;  foliage  light  green  ;  truss  3  to 
5  inches,  branching ;  berry  bright  scarlet,  large,  and  the  first  somewhat 


286  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

irregular,  4  to  6  inches ;  flesh  light  pink ;  flavor  very  fine ;  calyx  spreading 
and  recurving;  season  early. 

One  of  the  best  where  it  can  be  grown,  but  in  some  regions  the 
foliage  burns.  Discovered  growing  in  a  vineyard,  by  Mr.  Fetters,  of 
Lancaster,  Ohio.  Staminate. 

Frontenac.— Foliage  light  green ;  plant  moderately  vigorous ;  leaf- 
stalk wiry;  truss  5  inches,  6  to  8  berries ;.  berry  bright  scarlet,  roundish 
and  slightly  irregular ;  size  2  to  3  inches ;  flesh  pink,  solid ;  season  late ; 
moderately  productive ;  the  foliage  is  inclined  to  burn. 

Glendale. — This  variety  is  now  greatly  praised  as  a  market  berry. 
Dr.  Thurber  and  I  examined  it  together,  and  agreed  that  its  flavor  was 
only  second-rate ;  but,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the  public  does  not 
discriminate  very  nicely  on  this  point.  It  averages  large,  sometimes 
exceeding  six  inches  in  circumference.  It  is  long,  conical,  uniform  in 
shape,  necked.  The  first  berries  are  often  ridged  somewhat,  but  I  have 
never  seen  it  flat  or  coxcombed.  It  has  a  very  large  calyx,  is  light  scarlet 
in  flesh  and  color,  very  firm,  and  therefore  will  probably  keep  and  ship 
well,  the  large  calyx  aiding  in  this  respect  also.  The  plant  is  vigorous 
and  makes  a  long  runner  before  the  new  plant  forms.  Leaves  large  and 
dark  green  ;  leaf-stalk  downy ;  truss  4  to  6  inches ;  season  very  late. 
Found,  by  Mr.  W.  B.  Storer,  growing  wild  in  Glendale  Cemetery,  Akron, 
O.,  in  1871.  Staminate.  I  think  this  berry  has  a  future  as  a  market 
variety. 

Green  Prolific.-^ — One  of  the  late  Mr.  Seth  Boyden's  noted  varieties,  and 
a  parent  of  far  better  berries  than  itself.  I  quote  again  from  Mr.  Boyden's 
diary :  "  No.  5  ;  a  cross  with  Hovey's  Seedling  and  Kitley's  Goliath ;  a 
large  plant,  and  seldom  injured  by  summer  heat;  very  luxuriant  grower 
and  bearer;  berries  above  medium  size  and  of  good  quality.  A  pistillate." 

This  berry  was  once  very  popular,  but  has  been  superseded.  The 
fruit  is  very  soft  and  second-rate  in  flavor.  The  plant  is  so  vigorous  and 
hardy  that,  in  combination  with  a  fine  Staminate,  it  might  be  the  parent  of 
superior  new  varieties. 

General  Sherman. — New.  Described  as  "large,  conical,  regular,  brill- 
iant scarlet ;  quality  good;  productive;  early." 

Great  American. —  Plant  but  moderately  vigorous;  foliage  dark  green  ; 
leaf-stalks  downy ;  truss  4  to  7  inches ;  berry  dark  crimson,  round  to 
conical ;  under  poor  culture,  2  to  3  inches  in  size,  but  sometimes  very 
large,  10  to  12  inches;  flesh  pink;  flavor  only  fair;  season  late;  unpro- 
ductive, unless  just  suited  in  soil  and  treatment.  In  most  localities,  the 
foliage  burns  or  scalds  in  the  sun,  and  also  seems  just  adapted  to  the 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  287 

taste  of  the  flea-beetle  and  other  insects.  Originated  with  Mr.  E.  W. 
Durand,  and  under  his  exceedingly  high  culture  and  skillful  management 
it  yielded  immense  crops  of  enormous  berries  that  sold  as  high  as  a  dollar 
per  quart ;  but  throughout  the  country  at  large,  with  a  few  exceptions,  it 
seems  to  have  been  a  melancholy  failure.  From  this  variety  was  produced 
a  berry  measuring  over  fourteen  inches  in  circumference — probably  the 
largest  strawberry  ever  grown.  Staminate. 

Golden  Defiance. — Plant  tall,  very  vigorous,  somewhat  slender,  light 
green ;  leaf-stalk  moderately  downy ;  truss  5  to  7  inches,  1 2  to  20  berries, 
well  clustered, — all  the  berries  developing  to  a  good  size;  berry  dark 
scarlet,  obtusely  conical,  smooth,  sometimes  necked,  very  uniform,  3  to  5 
inches ;  flesh  scarlet,  quite  firm,  juicy ;  flavor  very  fine ;  calyx  spreading 
and  recurving;  season  late. 

For  three  successive  years  this  has  been  the  best  late  berry  on  my 
place,  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful.  Unless  it  changes  its  character,  it 
will  win  its  way  to  the  front  rank  in  popularity.  If  its  runners  are  cut, 
it  is  exceedingly  productive  of  fruit  that  is  as  fine-flavored  as  showy. 
Pistillate.  Originated  with  Mr.  Amos  Miller,  of  Pennsylvania. 

Glossy  Cone. —  One  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand's  seedlings.  A  pretty  berry, 
with  a  varnished  appearance,  but  neither  productive  nor  vigorous  on  my 
grounds,  thus  far.  New. 

Helen. —  New.  Plant  tall,  vigorous,  with  dark  green  foliage,  very 
downy ;  truss  5  to  7  inches,  branched ;  berry  light  scarlet,  flat,  conical ; 
flesh  white,  firm  ;  flavor  fine  ;  calyx  close  ;  season  late.  I  fear  the  foliage 
is  inclined  to  burn  badly.  Staminate. 

Hervey  Davis. —  New.  Plant  tall,  rather  vigorous,  with  light  green 
foliage  ;  leaf-stalk  smooth,  except  when  young;  truss  5  to  6  inches  ;  berry 
bright  scarlet,  shouldered,  obtusely  conical,  glossy ;  flesh  very  light  pink, 
firm ;  flavor  good ;  calyx  close ;  season  medium ;  productive.  It  has 
seemed  to  me  the  most  promising  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Moore's  seedlings.  The 
berry  resembles  the  Jucunda  somewhat.  Staminate. 

Hovey's  Seedling. — One  of  the  most  famous  of  the  historical  berries, 
and  still  raised  quite  largely  around  Boston.  It  was  originated  by  Mr. 
C.  M.  Hovey,  and  was  first  fruited  in  1835.  Its  introduction  made  a 
great  sensation  in  the  fruit  world,  and  the  fact  of  its  being  a 
pistillate  gave  rise  to  no  end  of  discussion.  Many  who  first  bought 
it  set  it  out  by  itself,  and,  of  course,  it  bore  no  fruit;  therefore,  they 
condemned  it.  When  its  need  of  fertilization  was  understood,  many 
used  wild  plants  from  the  woods  for  this  purpose,  and  then  found 
it  to  be  the  largest  and  most  productive  strawberry  in  cultivation 


288  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

at  that  period.  Such  large  crops  were  often  raised  that  the  theory 
was  advanced  by  many  that  pistillates  as  a  class  would  be  more  productive 
than  staminates,  and  horticulturists  became  as  controversial  as  the  most 
zealous  of  theologians.  The  berry  and  the  vexed  questions  that  it 
raised  have  both  ceased  to  occupy  general  attention,  but  many  of  the 
new  varieties  heralded  to-day  are  not  equal  to  this  old-fashioned  sort. 
Mr.  Downing  thus  describes  it:  "The  vines  are  vigorous  and  hardy, 
producing  moderately  large  crops,  and  the  fruit  is  always  of  the  largest 
size  and  finely  flavored ;  the  leaves  are  large,  rather  light  green,  and  the 
fruit-stalks  long  and  erect ;  fruit  roundish-oval  and  slightly  conical,  deep, 
shining  scarlet,  seeds  slightly  imbedded  ;  flesh  firm ;  season  about 
medium." 

HuddUstoris  Favorite. — New.  Thus  described  by  E.  Y.  Teas,  of 
Dunreith,  Ind.  :  "  A  vigorous  grower,  with  large,  glossy  foliage,  that 
stands  the  sun  well ;  berries  of  the  largest  size,  round,  with  small  calyx, 
of  a  bright,  glossy,  crimson  color,  ripening  evenly,  firm,  with  a  rich,  spicy 
flavor;  late;  very  beautiful  in  appearance." 

Jucunda. —  A  slow,  rather  than  feeble  grower,  on  heavy  soils;  light 
green  foliage  ;  leaf-stalk  smooth  ;  truss  5  to  7  inches ;  berry  high-shoul- 
dered, conical,  of  a  bright,  glossy  crimson,  very  showy  ;  flesh  scarlet,  firm  ; 
flavor  fair  and  good  when  fully  ripe ;  calyx  close  ;  season  late. 

I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Hexamer  for  the  following  history  :  "  The  late 
Rev.  Mr.  J.  Knox,  of  Pittsburgh,  told  me  that  in  a  bed  of  what  he  received 
as  Bonte  de  St.  Julien,  he  found  a  number  of  plants  that  seemed  to  him  a 
new  variety.  Supposing  them  to  be  a  new  and  very  desirable  seedling,  he 
separated  them  from  the  others  and  propagated  them  under  the  name  of 
'  700.'  Before  he  offered  them  for  sale,  he  discovered  that  they  were  identical 
with  the  Jucunda,  and  when  they  were  brought  out,  in  1865,  it  was  under 
the  true  name,  Jucunda  (Knox's  700)."  One  authority  states  that  it 
originated  in  England,  with  a  Mr.  Salter ;  another  says  that  it  was  imported 
from  Belgium.  This  is  of  little  consequence,  compared  with  the  fact  that  it 
is  the  finest  foreign  berry  we  have^  on  heavy  soils.  I  do  not  n  commend  it 
for  light  land,  unless  the  runners  are  cut  and  high  culture  is  given.  Mr. 
M.  Crawford,  of  Cuyahoga  Falls,  Ohio,  makes  the  interesting  statement  that 
Mr.  Knox  "sold  over  two  hundred  bushels  of  this  variety  in  one  day,  at 
$16  per  bushel.'  It  has  always  been  one  of  the  most  profitable  on  my 
heavy  land.  The  young  plants  are  small  and  feeble.  Staminate.  For 
illustration,  see  page  67. 

Kentucky  Seedling. — Plant  tall,  vigorous,  but  slender  and  apt  to  fall ; 
light  green  foliage  ;  truss  8  to  10  inches,  with  8  to  10  berries  ;  berry  scarlet, 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  289 

conical,  high-shouldered,  somewhat  flattened  at  the  tip,  regular  in  shape  and 
uniform  in  size,  a  little  rough,  knobby,  with  seeds  set  in  deep  pits  ;  flesh 
but  moderately  firm,  and  very  white ;  flavor  of  the  best ;  calyx  spreading 
and  recurving ;  season  late  and  long-continued  ;  very  productive — one  of 
the  very  best ;  size  3  to  4^  inches.  It  succeeds  well  on  light  soils  and 
under  the  Southern  sun,  and  improves  wonderfully  under  hill  culture. 
Staminate.  Originated  by  Mr.  S.  J.  Downer,  of  Kentucky.  For  illus- 
tration, see  title-page. 

Lady  of  the  Lake. — Plant  tall,  vigorous,  dark  green  foliage;  leaf-stalk 
downy  ;  truss  7  to  8  inches ;  berry  crimson,  conical,  necked  ;  flesh  pink, 
firm  ;  flavor  good,  but  rather  dry ;  size  moderate  ;  calyx  spreading ;  season 
medium  ;  productive.  Staminate. 

It  has  been,  and  is  still,  a  favorite  with  the  market- men  around  Boston. 
Originated  by  a  Mr.  Scott,  in  Brighton,  Mass. 

La  Constant:- — One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  foreign  berries;  flesh 
rosy  white,  sweet,  juicy,  very  firm,  and  of  exquisite  flavor.  The  plants  are 
dwarf  and  compact,  and  they  require  the  highest  culture.  Even  then,  the 
crop  is  uncertain  ;  for  the  variety,  like  high-born  beauty,  is  very  capricious, 
but  its  smiles,  in  the  way  of  fruit,  are  such  as  to  delight  the  most  fastidious 
of  amateurs.  Originated  by  De  Jonghe.  Staminate.  It  is  one  of  the 
favorite  varieties  abroad  for  forcing. 

Lady's  Finger. —  An  old  variety,  now  not  often  seen.  Conical,  and 
very  elongated,  and  of  a  brilliant,  dark  scarlet  color.  It  was  once  popular, 
but  has  been  superseded. 

Lennigs  White  (White  Pine-apple). — This  is  not  strictly  a  white 
berry,  for  it  has  a  delicate  flush  if  exposed  to  the  sun.  The  flesh  is  pure 
white,  juicy,  melting,  sweet  and  delicious  in  flavor,  and  so  aromatic  that 
one  berry  will  perfume  a  large  apartment.  The  plant  is  vigorous  and 
hardy,  but  a  shy  bearer.  Hill  culture  and  clipped  runners  are  essential  to 
fruit,  but,  for  a  connoisseur's  table,  a  quart  is  worth  a  bushel  of  some 
varieties.  It  is  the  best  white  variety,  and  evidently  a  seedling  of  the  F. 
Chilensis.  It  originated  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Lennig,  of  Germantown,  Pa. 
Staminate. 

Laurel  Leaf. — New.  Plant  moderately  vigorous ;  foliage  dark  green ; 
leaf-stalk  quite  smooth ;  truss  3  to  5  inches,  low,  stocky ;  berry  very 
light  scarlet ;  round  to  conical,  short  neck  ;  flesh  soft,  light  pink ;  size  mod- 
erate ;  flavor  good ;  calyx  close.  Originated  with  Mr.  A.  N.  Jones,  Le 
Roy,  N.  Y.  Staminate. 

Longworttis  Prolific. — An  old  variety,  that  is  passing  out  of  cultiva- 
tion ;  still  grown  quite  extensively  in  California.  It  is  a  large,  roundish- 
37 


290  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

oval  berry,  of  good  flavor.  The  plant  is  said  to  be  vigorous  and  pro- 
ductive. Originated  on  the  grounds  of  the  late  Mr.  N.  Longworth, 
of  Cincinnati. 

Longfellow. —  New.  Described  as  very  large,  elongated,  conical,  occa- 
sionally irregular;  color  dark  red,  glossy  and  beautiful;  flesh  firm,  sweet, 
and  rich ;  plant  vigorous,  with  dark  green,  healthy  foliage,  not  liable  to 
burn  in  the  sun  ;  very  productive,  continuing  long  in  bearing,  and  of  large 
size  to  the  last.  Originated  with  Mr.  A.  D.  Webb,  Bowling  Green,  Ky. 

Marvin. — This  new  berry  is  already  exciting  much  attention,  and  I  am 
glad  that  I  can  give  a  description  from  so  careful  and  eminent  a  horticulturist 
as  Mr.  T.  T.  Lyon,  President  Michigan  State  Pomological  Society : 
"  From  notes  taken  at  the  ripening  of  the  fruit :  '  Plant  vigorous,  very 
stocky,  of  rather  low  growth,  bearing  a  fine  crop  for  young  plants ;  foliage 
nearly  round,  thick  in  substance,  flat  or  cupped  ;  serratures  broad  and  shal- 
low ;  fruit  large  to  very  large,  longish  conical ;  large  specimens  often 
coxcombed ;  bright  crimson;  began  to  color  June  i6th,  and  the  first 
ripe  berries  were  gathered  on  the  2Oth ;  stems  of  medium  height, 
— strong ;  flesh  light  crimson  ;  whitish  at  the  center,  firm  and  juicy  ;, 
flavor  high,  rich,  fine,  with  a  very  pleasant  aroma ;  seeds  prominent ; 
greenish  brown.  We  regard  this  as  a  highly  promising,  very  large,  late 
variety,  and  especially  so  for  market  purposes.  Staminate.'  ' 

Originated  with  Mr.  Harry  Marvin,  Ovid,  Mich.,  and  said  to  be  from 
the  Wilson  and  Jucunda, —  an  excellent  parentage. 

Miner's  Great  Prolific. —  Plant  vigorous  ;  leaves  light  green,  smooth ; 
leaf-stalk  downy ;  truss  six  inches,  well  branched,  slender,  drooping ;. 
berry  deep  crimson,  round  and  bulky,  regular  shouldered ;  tip  green 
when  half-ripe ;  flesh  pink,  moderately  firm  ;  flavor  good ;  calyx  spread- 
ing ;  size  four  to  five  inches ;  season  medium  to  late.  The  berry  holds 
out  well  in  size,  and  resembles  the  Charles  Downing  somewhat,  but  aver- 
ages larger.  It  has  seemed  to  me  as  promising  a  new  variety  as  the 
Sharpless.  I  believe  it  has  a  long  future.  Originated  with  the  late  T.  B. 
Miner  in  1877.  Staminate. 

Monarch  of  the  West. — Plant  very  vigorous  ;  leaves  light,  when  young, 
and  later  of  a  golden  green,  somewhat  smooth  ;  truss  six  inches ;  four 
to  eight  berries ;  berry  often  of  a  carpet-bag  shape,  square-shouldered, 
and  sometimes  coxcombed,  large,  magnificent ;  pale  scarlet ;  flesh  light 
pink,  tender ;  flavor  very  fine ;  calyx  spreading  and  recurving ;  tip  of  berry 
green  when  not  fully  ripe,  but  it  colors  evenly  if  given  time.  When  flavor 
is  the  gauge  of  excellence  in  the  market,  this  famous  berry  will  be  in  the  front 
rank.  Its  color  and  softness  are  against  it,  but  its  superb  size,  delicious- 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  291 

ness  and  aroma  should  make  it  eagerly  sought  after  by  all  who  want  a 
genuine  strawberry.  In  the  open  market,  it  already  often  brings  double 
the  price  of  Wilsons.  In  the  home  garden,  it  has  few  equals.  With  some 
exceptions,  it  does  well  from  Maine  to  California.  The  narrow  row 
culture  greatly  increases  its  size  and  productiveness.  I  have  had  many 
crates  picked  in  which  there  were  few  berries  that  did  not  average  five 
inches  in  circumference.  Mr.  Jesse  Brady,  of  Piano,  Illinois,  gives  me  the 
following  history  :  "  The  Monarch  was  raised  by  me  in  1867,  from  one  of  a 
number  of  seedlings,  grown  previously,  and  crossed  with  Boyden's  Green 
Prolific.  The  said  seedling  was  never  introduced  to  the  public.  I  raised 
fourteen,  and  cultivated  three  of  them  several  years.  They  were  pro- 
duced from  an  English  berry,  name  unknown  to  me."  For  illustration, 
see  page  259. 

Martha  (Photo.). — -A  fine,  large  berry,  but,  as  I  have  seen  it,  the 
foliage  burns  so  badly  that  I  think  it  will  pass  out  of  cultivation  unless 
it  improves  in  this  respect.  Staminate. 

Neunan's  Prolific  (Charleston  Berry). — Foliage  tall,  slender,  dark 
green ;  fruit-stalk  tall ;  berries  light  scarlet,  inclined  to  have  a  neck  at  the 
North,  not  so  much  so  at  the  South.  First  berries  large,  obtusely  conical ; 
the  later  and  smaller  berries  becoming  round;  calyx  very  large  and 
drooping  over  the  berry ;  exceedingly  firm,  hard,  indeed,  and  sour  when 
first  red,  but  growing  richer  and  better  in  flavor  in  full  maturity ;  usually 
a  vigorous  grower.  It  was  originated  by  a  Mr.  Neunan,  of  Charleston,  S.  C., 
and  scarcely  any  other  variety  is  grown  in  that  great  strawberry  center. 

Napoleon  III. —  A  very  large  foreign  berry,  often  flattened  and  cox- 
combed.  I  found  that  its  foliage  burned  so  badly  I  could  not  grow  it. 
Mr.  P.  Barry  describes  the  plant  as  "  rarely  vigorous,  and  bearing  only  a 
few  large,  beautiful  berries." 

New  Jersey  Scarlet. —  An  old-fashioned  market  berry  that  succeeded 
well  on  the  light  soils  of  New  Jersey.  Once  popular,  but  not  much  grown 
now,  I  think.  Mr.  Downing  describes  it  as  medium  in  size,  conical,  with  a 
neck;  light,  clear  scarlet;  moderately  firm,  juicy,  sprightly.  Staminate. 

Nicanor. —  A  seedling  of  the  Triomphe  de  Gand,  that  originated  on 
the  grounds  of  Messrs.  Ellwanger  &  Barry,  and  is  described  by  Mr.  Barry 
as  "hardy,  vigorous,  productive,  early,  and  continuing  in  bearing  a  long 
time;  fruit  moderately  large ;  uniform,  roundish,  conical;  bright  scarlet; 
flesh  reddish,  rather  firm,  juicy,  sweet;  of  fine  flavor."  I  found  that  it 
required  heavy  soil,  high  culture,  with  clipped  runners,  to  produce,  on 
my  place,  fruit  large  enough  to  be  of  value.  The  fruit  ripened  very 
early  and  was  of  excellent  flavor.  Staminate. 


292  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

New  Dominion. — Described  by  Mr.  Crawford,  as  "  very  large,  round- 
ish, uniform  in  size  and  shape;  bright  red;  glossy,  firm,  of  good  flavor, 
and  productive;  season  medium."  I  have  seen  it  looking  poorly  on  light 
soil.  Originated  with  Mr.  C.  N.  Biggar,  on  the  battlefield  of  Lundy's 
Lane 

Oliver  Goldsmith. —  New;  a  very  vigorous  grower,  bearing  a  long, 
conical  berry  with  a  glazed  neck.  Untested,  but  very  promising. 
Staminate. 

President  Lincoln. —  Plant  moderately  vigorous;  foliage  light  green; 
truss  5  to  6  inches,  strong ;  berry  crimson,  conical ;  often  long,  with  a 
neck ;  the  first  large  berries  are  coxcombed  and  very  irregular ;  flesh 
firm,  scarlet ;  flavor  of  the  very  best ;  size  3  to  6  inches ;  calyx  close  to 
spreading.  One  of  the  best  varieties  for  an  amateur.  Among  them 
often,  without  any  apparent  cause,  are  found  small  bushy  plants  with 
smaller  leaves,  and  berries  full  of  "fingers  and  toes."  These  should  be 
pulled  out.  The  variety  evidently  contains  much  foreign  blood,  but  is 
one  of  the  best  of  the  class.  The  berries  almost  rival  the  Sharpless  in  size, 
and  are  better  in  flavor,  but  the  plant  is  not  so  good  a  grower.  Specimens 
have  been  picked  measuring  over  eleven  inches  in  circumference.  It 
is  said  to  have  originated  with  a  Mr.  Smith,  of  New  York  city,  in  1875. 
Staminate. 

President  Wilder. — In  the  estimation  of  many  good  judges,  this  is  the 
most  beautiful  and  best-flavored  strawberry  in  existence, —  an  opinion  in 
which  I  coincide.  It  has  always  done  well  with  me,  and  I  have  seen  it 
thriving  in  many  localities.  It  is  so  fine,  however,  that  it  deserves  all  the 
attention  that  it  requires.  It  is  a  hybrid  of  the  La  Constant  and  Hovey's 
Seedling,  and  unites  the  good  qualities  of  both,  having  much  the  appear- 
ance of  the  beautiful  foreign  berry,  and  the  hardy,  sun- resisting  foliage  of 
Hovey's  Seedling.  It  has  a  suggestion  of  the  musky,  Hautbois  flavor,  when 
fully  ripe,  and  is  of  a  bright  scarlet  color,  deepening  into  crimson  in 
maturity.  Flesh  quite  firm,  rosy  white,  juicy,  very  rich  and  delicious. 
The  berry  is  diamond-shaped,  obtusely  conical,  very  regular  .,*r.d  uniform; 
seeds  yellow  and  near  the  surface.  The  plant  is  low,  compact, 
rather  dwarf,  the  young  plants  quite  small,  but  the  foliage  endures 
the  sun  well,  even  in  the  far  South.  The  plants  are  more  productive  the 
second  year  of  bearing  than  in  the  first.  Young  plants  often  do  not  form 
fruit  buds.  Mr.  Merrick  states  that  it  "  originated  with  President 
Wilder,  in  1861,  and  was  selected  as  the  best  result  obtained  from 
many  thousand  seedlings  in  thirty  years  of  continual  experimenting.'* 
Staminate. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries. 


293 


Pioneer. — Plant  vigorous  ;  foliage  light  green,  tall;  leaf-stalk  downy; 
truss  5  to  7  inches  ;  berry  scarlet,  necked,  dry,  sweet,  perfumed  ;  flesh  pink, 
only  moderately  firm ;  flavor  of  the  best ;  calyx  close  to  spreading ;  season 
early.  This  seems  to  me  the  best  of  all  Mr.  Durand's  new  varieties  that  I 
have  seen,  and  it  is  very  good  indeed.  The  foliage  dies  down  during  the 
winter,  but  the  root  sends  up  a  new,  strong  growth,  which,  I  fear,  will 
burn  in  the  South  and  on  light  soils.  Staminate. 

Prouty's  Seedling. — Plant  not  very  vigorous;  leaf-stalk  very  smooth; 
truss  3  to  5  inches ;  berry  bright  scarlet,  glossy,  very  long  conical ;  flesh 


Pioneer  Strawberry. 

pink,  firm ;  flavor  fair ;  calyx  close.  Very  productive,  but  the  plant  does 
not  seem  vigorous  enough  to  mature  the  enormous  quantity  of  fruit  that 
forms.  With  high  culture  on  heavy  soil,  I  think  it  might  be  made  very 
profitable.  Staminate. 


.294  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Panic. — Mr.  W.  H.  Coleman,  of  Geneva,  writes  me  that  this  variety 
promises  remarkably  well  in  his  region,  but  on  my  ground  it  burns  so 
badly  as  to  be  valueless.  It  is  a  long,  conical  berry,  very  firm  and  of  good 
flavor.  Staminate. 

Red  Jacket. — Early,  high-flavored,  with  a  rich  subacid,  suggesting  the 
wild  berry  in  taste  and  aroma ;  of  good  size,  round,  dark  crimson.  Plant 
vigorous ;  a  promising  new  variety.  Staminate. 

Russell's  Advance. — A  fine-flavored,  early  variety,  but  the  plant 
proves  not  sufficiently  vigorous  and  productive  to  compete  with  other 
•early  berries  already  described.  Staminate. 

Russell's  Prolific. — A  fine,  large  berry,  deservedly  popular  a  few  years 
•since.  It  has  yielded  splendid  fruit  on  my  grounds,  but  it  seems  to  have 
proved  so  uncertain  over  the  country  at  large  as  to  have  passed  out  of 
general  favor.  It  is  rather  soft  for  market  and  not  high-flavored  enough 
for  a  first-class  berry.  Pistillate. 

Romeyri s  Seedling. —  I  cannot  distinguish  it  from  the  Triomphe  de 
Gand.  Staminate. 

Sharpless. — A  very  strong,  upright  grower,  with  large,  crinkled 
foliage;  truss  5  to  8  inches,  strong  branched;  6  to  10  large  berries  often 
on  each ;  berry  carpet-bag  in  shape,  and  often  very  irregular  and  flattened, 
but  growing  more  uniform  as  they  diminish  in  size  ;  light  red  and  glossy, 
5  to  7  inches ;  flesh  firm,  light  pink ;  flavor  fine,  sweet,  perfumed  ;  calyx 
recurving ;  season  medium.  One  of  the  very  best  if  it  proves  sufficiently 
productive  over  the  country  at  large.  For  illustration,  see  page  98. 

Mr.  J.  K.  Sharpless  kindly  writes  me :  "  I  have  been  much  interested 
in  growing  strawberries  for  the  last  fifteen  years,  and  after  being  disap- 
pointed in  many  of  the  new  and  highly  praised  varieties,  the  idea  occurred 
to  me  that  a  seedling  originating  in  our  own  soil  and  climate  might  prove 
more  hardy  and  long-lived.  Having  saved  a  fine  berry  of  each  of  the 
following  varieties, — the  Wilson,  Colonel  Cheney,  Jucunda,  and  Charles 
Downing, —  I  planted  their  seeds  in  a  box  in  March,  1872.  The  box  was 
kept  in  the  house  (probably  by  a  warm  south  window),  andfjn  May  I  set 
from  this  box  about  100  plants  in  the  garden,  giving  partial  shade  and 
frequently  watering.  By  fall,  nearly  all  were  fine  plants.  I  then  took  them 
up  and  set  them  out  in  a  row  one  foot  apart,  protecting  them  slightly 
during  the  winter,  and  the  next  season  nearly  all  bore  some  fruit,  the 
Sharpless  four  or  five  fine  berries.  It  was  the  most  interesting  employment 
of  my  life  to  grow  and  watch  those  seedlings.  Some  of  the  others  bore  fine, 
large  berries,  but  I  eventually  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Sharpless 
was  the  only  one  worthy  of  cultivation."  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  295 

Jucunda  and  Colonel  Cheney  formed  the  combination  producing  this  berry. 
It  is  now  in  enormous  demand,  and  if  it  gives  satisfaction  throughout 
the  country  generally,  its  popularity  will  continue.  It  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  hill  culture,  and  the  plant  is  so  vigorous  that  it  would  develop  into- 
quite  a  bush  on  rich,  moist  land,  with  its  runners  clipped.  Staminate. 

Seneca  Chief. —  Plant  vigorous  and  productive;  large,  downy  leaf; 
truss  low;  berry  bright  scarlet,  glossy,  occasionally  a  little  wedge-shaped; 
round  to  conical,  shouldered ;  flesh  firm,  pink ;  seeds  yellow  and  brown ; 
flavor  fine,  rich  subacid ;  season  medium ;  size  3  to  5  inches ;  calyx 
close ;  a  fine  berry,  originated  by  Messrs.  Hunt  &  Foote,  Waterloo,  N.  Y. 
Staminate. 

Seneca  Queen. — Plant  vigorous,  foliage  dark  green  ;  leaf-stalk  moder- 
ately downy  ;  truss  3  to  5  inches  ;  berry  dark  crimson,  round  ;  flesh  red  ; 
flavor  fair ;  size  3  to  5  inches  ;  calyx  close ;  season  medium  ;  productive  ; 
a  promising  variety.  Staminate. 

Springdale. —  Plant  low,  stocky;  leaf-stalk  downy;  leaf  broad  and 
smooth  ;  truss  3  to  4  inches  ;  berry  bright  scarlet,  round,  broader  than 
long,  3  j£  to  5  inches  ;  flesh  light  pink,  juicy,  rather  soft ;  flavor  very  good  ; 
calyx  close ;  season  early  to  medium.  Originated  by  Amos  Miller,  of 
Pennsylvania.  Pistillate. 

Sucker  State. —  Plant  seems  vigorous;  foliage  dark  green ;  leaf-stalk 
downy ;  berry  light  scarlet ;  flesh  pink,  juicy,  firm.  A  new  and 
promising  variety.  Staminate. 

Stirling. — Only  moderately  vigorous  ;  foliage  low,  light  green ;  leaf- 
stalk downy  ;  truss  3  to  5  inches,  well  branched ;  berry  crimson,  ovate, 
very  uniform,  somewhat  necked ;  moderate-sized,  2  to  3  inches  ;  flesh 
pink,  very  firm;  flavor  of  the  best;  calyx  close  to  spreading;  season- 
medium  to  late.  The  foliage  burns  so  badly  in  most  localities  that  this 
variety  will  pass  out  of  cultivation.  Pistillate. 

Triomphe  de  Gand. —  Plant  light  green;  leaf- stalk  and  blade  unu- 
sually smooth ;  truss  4  to  5  inches ;  berry,  the  average  ones,  round  to 
conical,  large  ones  irregular  and  coxcombed  ;  light  scarlet,  glossy  ;  flesh 
pink,  juicy,  and  solid;  flavor  of  the  best;  calyx  close;  size  3^4  to  5 
inches;  season  long;  rather  feeble  grower,  and  comes  slowly  to  maturity. 
Admirably  adapted  to  the  narrow  row  system,  and  on  heavy  soils  can  be 
kept  in  bearing  five  or  six  years,  if  the  runners  are  cut  regularly.  If 
I  were  restricted  to  one  strawberry  on  a  heavy,  loamy  soil,  the  Triomphe 
would  be  my  choice,  since,  on  moist  land  with  high  culture,  it  will  continue 
six  weeks  in  bearing,  giving  delicious  fruit.  When  well  grown,  it  com- 
mands the  highest  price  in  market.  It  is  probably  the  best  foreign 


296  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

» 

variety  we  have,  and  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  forcing.  It  is  said  to  be  a 
Belgian  variety.  Staminate.  The  old-fashioned  belief  that  strawberries 
thrived  best  on  light  soils  caused  this  superb  berry  to  be  discarded ; 
but  it  was  introduced  again  by  Mr.  Knox,  who  proved,  by  a  very 
profitable  experience,  that  heavy  land  is  the  best  for  many  of  our  finest 
varieties. 

Triple  Crown. —  Plant  tall,  slender;  foliage  light  green;  leaf-stalk 
wiry,  smooth  ;  truss  5  to  6  inches ;  berry  dark  crimson,  conical ;  when  large, 
irregular,  with  a  glazed  neck ;  flesh  crimson,  remarkably  firm ;  flavor  rich 
and  fine ;  size  3  to  4  inches  ;  season  medium ;  very  productive.  One  of  the 
best,  and  I  think  the  firmest  strawberry  in  existence.  I  may  be  mistaken, 
but  I  think  this  berry  will  become  exceedingly  popular  when  it  becomes 
better  known.  I  am  testing  it  on  various  soils.  For  canning  and  shipping 
qualities,  it  has  no  equal,  and  though  so  exceedingly  firm,  is  still  rich 
and  juicy  when  fully  ripe.  Originated  by  Mr.  Wm.  Hunt,  of  Waterloo, 
N.  Y.  Staminate. 

Warren. —  Described  as  very  large,  roundish,  conical;  very  regular 
in  shape  and  size;  color  dark  red,  ripening  evenly;  flesh  firm  and  of 
good  quality.  Plant  a  luxuriant  grower  and  a  good  bearer.  New  and 
untested.  Originated  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Webb,  Bowling  Green,  Ky. 

Wilding. —  Plant  tall,  vigorous  ;  foliage  dark  green ;  leaf-stalk  downy ; 
truss  6  to  8  inches;  well  branched;  10  to  12  berries;  ripe  fruit  and 
blossoms  on  the  same  stalk;  berry  crimson,  high -shouldered,  round  to 
conical;  size  3  to  5  inches;  flesh  moderately  firm,  pink;  flavor  good. 
New  and  very  promising.  Originated  by  Mr.  A.  N.  Jones,  Le  Roy,  N.  Y. 
Staminate. 

Wielandy. —  Plant  vigorous,  with  dark  green,  very  glossy  foliage; 
leaf-stalk  downy ;  truss  low ;  berry  bright  scarlet,  round  to  conical ;  flesh 
pink,  soft ;  flavor  fine ;  size  2  to  3  inches ;  season  medium.  New  and 
untested,  but  of  good  promise  for  the  home  garden.  Staminate. 

Windsor  Chief. —  Said  to  have  been  originated  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Gardner, 
of  Eaton  Co.,  Michigan,  and  to  be  a  cross  between  the  Champion  and 
Charles  Downing.  The  plants  that  I  obtained  from  Mr.  Gardner  resemble 
the  Champion  so  closely,  both  in  foliage  and  fruit,  that  I  cannot  yet  dis- 
tinguish between  the  mother  and  daughter.  This  year,  I  shall  fruit  both 
in  perfection,  and  fear  that  I  shall  have  to  record  a  distinction  without  a 
difference. 

I  hope  I  may  be  mistaken.  All  that  is  claimed  for  the  Windsor 
Chief  is  true  if  it  is  as  good  as  the  Champion,  a  variety  that  I  have  ever 
found  one  of  the  most  profitable  on  my  place.  Pistillate. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  297 

ALPINE     STRAWBERRIES. 

Alpines,  White  and  Red. — These  are  the  Fragaria  Vesca,  the  strawber- 
ries of  the  ancients,  and  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  our  gardens  to-day.  As 
I  have  already  stated,  they  are  one  of  the  most  widely  spread  fruits  in  the 
world ;  for,  while  they  take  their  name  from  the  Alps,  there  are  few  mount- 
ains, where  the  temperature  is  sufficiently  cool,  on  which  they  are  not 
found,  either  in  this  country  or  abroad.  In  the  high  latitudes,  they 
descend  into  the  fields,  and  grow  wild  everywhere.  The  berries  are  coni- 
cal, medium  to  small  in  size,  and  the  fruit-stalks  rise  above  the  leaves.  In 
flavor  they  are  good,  very  delicate,  but  not  rich.  The  plants  are  very 
hardy,  and  moderately  productive.  Grown  from  the  seed,  they  reproduce 
themselves  with  almost  unvarying  similarity,  but  the  young  seedlings  pro- 
duce larger  berries  than  the  older  plants.  The  foliage  of  the  White  variety 
is  of  a  lighter  green  than  that  of  the  Red,  but  in  other  respects  there  are 
no  material  differences,  except  in  the  color. 

White  and  Red  Monthly  Alpines. — Varieties  similar  to  the  above,  with 
the  exception  that  they  bear  continuously  through  the  summer  and  fall, 
if  moisture  is  maintained  and  high  culture  given.  If  much  fruit  is  desired, 
all  runners  should  be  cut,  and  the  ground  made  rich.  We  are  often  misled 
by  synonyms  of  these  old  varieties,  as,  for  instance,  Des  Quatre  Saisons, 
Mexican  Everbearing,  Gallande,  etc.  They  are  all  said  to  be  identical 
with  the  common  monthly  Alpines. 

White  and  Red  Bush  Alpines. — A  distinct  class,  that  produces  no  run- 
ners, but  are  propagated  by  dividing  the  roots.  In  other  respects,  the 
plant  and  fruit  are  similar  to  the  common  Alpines.  No  matter  how  small 
the  division,  if  a  little  root  is  attached,  it  will  grow  readily.  They  make 
pretty  and  useful  edgings  for  garden  walks,  and  with  good  culture  bear 
considerable  fruit,  especially  in  the  cool,  moist  months  of  autumn.  Because, 
throwing  out  no  runners,  they  give  very  little  trouble,  and  I  have  ever 
found  them  the  most  satisfactory  of  the  monthly  strawberries.  I  see  no 
reason  why  a  good  demand  for  them,  as  a  fancy  fruit,  could  not  be  created. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  there  are  many  who  are  sufficiently  civilized  to  consider 
the  home  market  first ;  and  a  dainty  dish  of  strawberries  on  an  October 
evening,  and  a  wood-fire  blazing  on  the  hearth,  form  a  combination  that 
might  reconcile  misanthropy  to  the  "ills  of  life."  Mr.  Downing  states  that 
the  Bush  Alpines  were  first  brought  to  this  country  by  the  late  Andrew 
Parmentier,  of  Brooklyn. 

Wood  Strawberriesy  White  and  Red. — These  are  the  English  phases  of 
the  Alpine,  or  F.  Vesca  species.  Their  fruit  is  not  so  conical  as  the  Alpine 

38 


298  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

of  the  Continent,  or  our  own  land,  but  is  "roundish  ovate."  They  are  said 
to  be  rather  more  productive,  but  I  doubt  whether  they  differ  materially 
from  the  other  Alpines,  except  in  form.  They  are  the  strawberries  that 
our  British  forefathers  ate,  and  are  the  same  that  the  Bishop  of  Ely 
brought  to  the  bloody  Protector  from  his  "  gardayne  in  Holberne." 

Montreuil. —  Said  to  be  an  improved  variety  of  the  Alpines. 

Green  Alpine  (Green  Pine  or  Wood,  Fraisier  Vert). — "  This  variety  was, 
by  some,  supposed  to  be  a  distinct  species,  but  the  appearance  of  the 
plant  and  fruit  shows  it  to  be  a  true  Alpine.  Berry  small,  roundish, 
depressed,  greenish  brown  ;  flesh  green,  with  a  somewhat  musky  flavor.'* 
(Fuller.)  Mr.  Downing  says  the  berry  is  tinged  with  reddish  brown  on 
the  sunny  side  at  maturity,  and  that  it  has  a  peculiar,  rich,  pine-apple 
flavor. 

Under  the  head  of  Alpines,  one  finds  in  the  catalogues  a  bewildering 
array  of  names,  especially  in  those  printed  abroad ;  but  I  am  quite  well 
satisfied  that  if  all  these  named  varieties  were  placed  in  a  trial-bed,  and 
treated  precisely  alike,  the  differences  between  them,  in  most  instances, 
would  be  found  slight  indeed,  too  slight  to  warrant  a  name  and  separate- 
existence. 


HAUTBOIS    STRAWBERRIES  —  (FRAGARIA    ELATIOR). 

As  far  as  I  can  learn,  this  class  was  more  raised  in  former  years  than 
at  present,  both  here  and  abroad.  At  any  rate,  the  musky  flavor  of  the 
"Hoboys"  (as  the  term  was  often  spelled  in  rural  regions)  has  not  won 
favor,  and  I  rarely  meet  with  them  in  cultivation.  They  are  well  worth 
a  little  space  in  the  garden,  however,  and  are  well  suited  to  some  tastes. 

Belle  de  Bordelaise  is  said  to  be  the  best  variety.  The  berry  is 
described  by  Mr.  Fuller,  as  "  roundish  oval,  dark,  brownish  purple ;  flesh 
white,  juicy,  sweet,  with  a  strong  musky  flavor." 

Common  Hautbois. — Fruit  medium  in  size,  reddish  green,  musky. 
The  fruit-stalks  rise  above  the  leaves  —  therefore  the  term  Hautbois,  or 
high  wood.  Not  worthy  of  cultivation. 

Prolific  Hautbois — (Double  Bearing,  and  having  many  other  syno- 
nyms).—  Mr.  Downing  speaks  highly  of  this  variety,  saying  that  it  is 
distinguished  by  its  "  strong  habit,  and  very  large  and  usually  perfect 
flowers  borne  high  above  the  leaves.  The  fruit  is  very  large  and 
fine;  dark  colored,  with  a  peculiarly  rich,  slightly  musky  flavor.'* 
Productive. 


Varieties  of  Strawberries.  299 

Royal  Hautbois. — Said  to  be  one  of  the  largest,  most  vigorous,  and 
productive  of  this  class. 

Mr.  Merrick  writes  that  the  Hautbois  strawberries  find  few  admirers  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston,  and  seem  equally  neglected  abroad. 

I  am  gathering  these  and  the  Alpines  into  trial-beds,  and  thus  hope 
to  learn  more  accurately  their  differences,  characteristics  and  comparative 
values. 

Chili  strawberries  are  now  rarely  met  with  in  cultivation.  Mr.  Merrick 
writes  of  them  :  "Although  some  of  them  are  extolled  for  amateur  culture, 
they  are  of  little  value.  They  are  large,  coarse,  very  apt  to  be  hollow, 
with  soft,  poor-flavored  flesh.  They  have  been  so  thoroughly  intermingled 
with  other  species  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  of  certain  named  kinds  that 
they  are  or  are  not  partly  Chilis."  True  Chili,  Wilmot's  Superb,  and 
the  Yellow  Chili  are  named  as  the  best  of  the  class. 

There  are  very  many  other  named  strawberries  that  I  might  describe, 
and  a  few  of  them  may  become  popular.  Some  that  I  have  named  are 
scarcely  worth  the  space,  and  will  soon  be  forgotten.  In  my  next  revision, 
I  expect  to  drop  not  a  few  of  them.  It  should  be  our  constant  aim  to 
shorten  our  catalogues  of  fruits  rather  than  lengthen  them  to  the  bewilder- 
ment and  loss  of  all  save  the  plant  grower.  The  Duchess,  for  instance,  is 
-a  first-class  early  berry.  All  others  having  the  same  general  character- 
istics and  adapted  to  the  same  soils,  but  which  are  inferior  to  it,  should 
be  discarded.  What  is  the  use  of  raising  second,  third  and  fourth  rate 
berries  of  the  same  class  ?  Where  distinctions  are  so  slight  as  to  puzzle 
an  expert  they  should  be  ignored,  and  the  best  variety  of  the  class 
preserved. 

I  refer  those  readers  who  would  like  to  see  a  list  of  almost  every 
strawberry  named  in  modern  times,  native  and  foreign,  to  Mr.  J.  M. 
Merrick's  work,  "The  Strawberry  and  its  Culture." 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 


VARIETIES    OF    OTHER    SMALL    FRUITS. 


I  HAVE  already  written  so  fully  of  the  leading  and  profitable  varieties 
of  raspberries,  blackberries,  currants  and  gooseberries  that  little  more 
remains  to  be  said ;  since,  for  reasons  previously  given,  I  do  not  care  to 
go  into  long  descriptions  of  obsolete  varieties,  nor  of  those  so  new  and 
untested  as  to  be  unknown  quantities  in  value.  I  am  putting  everything 
thought  worthy  of  test  in  trial-beds,  and  hope  eventually  to  write 
accurately  concerning  them. 


RASPBERRIES. 
Rubus  Idceus  and  Rubus  Strigosus. 

^^^5»j 

Arnold's  Orange. —  Canes  strong,  branching,  yellowish  brown,  almost 
smooth,  and  producing  but  few  suckers.  Fruit  large,  somewhat  shorter 
than  Brinkle's  Orange,  and  of  a  darker  orange  color ;  rich  in  flavor. 
Originated  with  Mr.  Charles  Arnold,  Paris,  Ontario,  C.  W. 

Antwerp  (English). —  See  page  173. 

Antwerp  (Hudson  River). — See  pages   173—180. 

Antwerp  (Yellow — White  Antwerp). — A  tender  variety  that  needs 
winter  protection,  good  culture  and  vigorous  pruning;  otherwise,  the 

3oo 


Varieties  of  other  Small  Fruits.  301 

berries  are  imperfect  and  crumble  badly  in  picking.  The  fruit  is  exceed- 
ingly delicate  and  soft,  and  must  be  picked  as  soon  as  ripe  or  it  cannot 
be  handled.  It  is  much  surpassed  by  Brinkle's  Orange.  The  canes  are 
vigorous  and  the  variety  is  easily  grown. 

Brinkle's  Orange, —  For  description  and  illustration,  see  pages  176  and 
191. 

Belle  de  Fontenay. — Illustration  and  description  on  page  1 8 1. 

Brandy  wine. —  See  pages  182,  183. 

Belle  dc  Palnau. — A  French  variety,  that  thrives  in  some  localities. 
Canes  are  strong,  vigorous,  upright,  covered  with  short,  purplish 
spines,  which  are  more  numerous  near  the  ground  ;  berry  large,  obtuse 
conical,  bright  crimson  ;  firm  for  so  juicy  and  fine-flavored  a  berry  ;  grains 
large.  The  berries  were  often  imperfect  on  my  place. 

Catawissa. —  See  page  190.  This  variety  is  well  spoken  of  by  some 
good  authorities.  The  fact  that  it  bears  in  autumn  should  give  it  some 
consideration. 

Clarke. —  See  page  194. 

Caroline '.-^-See  page  194, 

Cuthbert. —  See  pages  194-198. 

Franconia. — See  page  180. 

Fastollf. — "An  English  variety  of  high  reputation.  It  derived  its  name 
from  having  originated  near  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle  so  called,  in  Great 
Yarmouth.  Canes  strong,  rather  erect,  branching  ;  light  yellowish  brown, 
with  few  strong  bristles ;  fruit  very  large,  obtuse  or  roundish  conical, 
bright  purplish  red,  rich  and  highly  flavored,  slightly  adhering  to  the 
germ  in  picking."  (Downing.) 

French  (Vice-President  French). —  Originated  with  Dr.  Brinkle. 
"  Canes  strong,  upright,  spines  short  and  stout ;  fruit  medium  to  large, 
roundish,  rich,  bright  crimson,  large  grains,  sweet  and  very  good." 
(Barry.)  It  is  foreign  in  its  parentage,  and  uncertain  in  many  localities. 

Herstine. — See  pages  192,  193. 

Hornet. — "Raised  by  Souchet,  near  Paris.  Very  productive.  Canes 
very  strong,  vigorous,  upright  spines,  purplish,  rather  stout,  and  numerous 
at  the  base  ;  fruit  very  large,  conical,  often  irregular,  grains  large,  quite 
hairy,  compact,  crimson  ;  flesh  rather  firm,  juicy,  sweet  and  good,  sepa- 
rates freely."  (Downing.)  This  variety  appears  to  vary  greatly  with 
locality. 

Kirtland  (Cincinnati  Red). —  One  of  the  native  varieties  once  grown 
largely,  but  now  superseded.  Fruit  medium  in  size,  obtuse,  conical,  soft, 
and  not  very  high-flavored. 


302  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

Knevetfs  Giant.—  Berry  large,  round,  light  crimson,  adheres  too  firmly 
to  the  core,  and  often  crumbles  in  picking,  but  is  juicy  and  good.  The 
canes  are  very  strong  and  productive ;  spines  purplish,  short,  scattering. 
An  English  variety. 

Merveille  de  Quatre  Saisons. —  A  French  variety.  This  and  the  Belle 
de  Fontenay  are  almost  as  hardy  as  any  of  our  native  kinds,  and  thus  they 
form  exceptions  to  the  foreign  sorts,  which  are  usually  tender.  Good 
results  might  be  secured  by  crossing  them  with  our  best  native  kinds.  The 
canes  of  this  variety  must  be  cut  to  the  ground  in  spring  if  much  autumn 
fruit  is  desired.  It  is  not  equal  to  the  Belle  de  Fontenay,  to  which  class 
it  belongs. 

Naomi. —  Identical  with  Franconia. 

Northumberland  Fillbasket. —  An  old-fashioned  English  variety,  some- 
times found  in  the  garden  of  an  amateur. 

Pride  of  the  Hudson. —  Seepages  162,  176,  192. 

Pearl,  Bristol,  Thwack. — Native  varieties  that  resemble  the  Brandy- 
wine,  but  are  not  equal  to  it  in  most  localities.  They  are  passing  out  of 
cultivation. 

Reliance. — A  seedling  of  the  Philadelphia,  but  judging  from  one 
year's  test,  much  superior  to  it,  and  worthy  of  cultivation  in  those 
regions  where  the  finer  varieties  cannot  thrive.  It  is  hardy,  and  will  do 
well  on  light  soils. 

Saunders. — See  page  192. 


Rubus  Occidentalis. 

For  descriptions  of  Damson's  Thornless,  Doolittle,  or  American  Im- 
proved, Mammoth  Cluster,  and  Gregg,  see  chapter  xxii.  - 

American  Black. —  Common  black-cap  raspberry,  found  wild  through- 
out the  United  States.  Too  well  known  to  need  description. 

American  White-cap  (Yellow-cap,  Golden-cap). — "Also  scattered 
widely  throughout  the  country,  but  not  common.  Those  who  discover  it 
often  imagine  that  they  have  found  something  new  and  rare.  Berries 
slightly  oval,  grains  larger  than  those  of  the  black-cap,  yellow,  with  a  white 
bloom.  The  canes  are  light  yellow,  strong,  stocky,  with  but  few  spines. 
Propagated  from  the  tips.  It  might  become  the  parent  of  very  fine 
varieties."  (Fuller.) 


Varieties  of  other  Small  Fruits.  303 

Miami  Black-cap. — A  vigorous,  productive  variety,  found  growing 
near  the  Miami  River,  in  Ohio.  The  fruit  approaches  a  brownish  red  in 
color,  and  is  not  equal  to  the  Mammoth  Cluster  in  value. 

Philadelphia. — See  page  190. 

Seneca  Black-cap. —  Raised  by  Mr.  Dell,  of  Seneca  Co.,  N.  Y.  The 
fruit  is  between  the  Doolittle  and  Mammoth  Cluster  in  size,  and  is  later 
than  the  former ;  not  so  black,  having  a  shade  of  purple,  and  is  juicy, 
sweet  and  good. 

Lum's  Everbearing  and  Ohio  Everbearing  Black  Raspberries. — Varie- 
ties that  resemble  each  other.  If  a  good  autumn  crop  is  desired,  cut  away 
the  canes  in  the  spring,  so  as  to  secure  a  strong  early  growth  of  new 
wood,  on  which  the  fruit  is  to  be  borne. 

Golden  Thornless. — A  large  variety  of  the  American  White-cap,  intro- 
duced by  Purdy  &  Johnson,  Palmyra,  N.  Y. 

Florence. —  A  variety  resembling  the  above. 

Ganargua  and  New  Rochelle. —  See  page  194. 


BLACKBERRIES. 

In  chapter  xxiv.  I  have  described  those  varieties  that  have  proved 
worthy  of  general  cultivation.  The  Dorchester  winter-killed  so  badly  on 
my  place,  and  the  fruit  was  so  inferior  to  that  of  the  Kittatinny  in  size, 
that  I  discarded  it.  It  is  good  in  flavor.  The  Missouri  Mammoth  is  ten- 
der, and  often  not  productive.  There  are  new  varieties  that  promise  well, 
as  Taylor's  Prolific,  Ancient  Briton,  Knox,  Warren,  Wachusett  Thorn- 
less,  Cro'  Nest  and  several  others.  I  am  testing  them,  and  do  not  care  to 
express  any  opinion  as  yet,  or  write  descriptions  that  would  probably  need 
considerable  revision  within  six  months. 


CURRANTS   AND    GOOSEBERRIES. 

In  chapters  xxvi.  and  xxvii.  may  be  found  a  description  of  those  dis- 
tinct varieties  that  are  of  chief  value  in  this  country.  I  find  no  good 
reason  why  I  should  fill  pages  with  descriptions  of  varieties  that  are  rarely 
cultivated,  and  which  might  well  give  place  to  better  kinds.  Eventually, 
I  shall  give  the  results  gathered  from  my  trial-beds,  in  which  I  am  placing 
all  the  new  and  old  varieties  said  to  be  worthy  of  cultivation. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 


CLOSING    WORDS. 


OUR  ramble  among  the  small  fruits  is  over.     To  such  readers  as  have 
not  grown  weary  and  left  my  company  long  since,  I  will  say  but  few 
words  in  parting. 

In  the  preceding  pages,  I  have  tried  to  take  from  our  practical  and 
often  laborious  calling  its  dull,  commonplace  and  prosaic  aspects.  It 
should  be  our  constant  aim  to  lift  life  above  mere  plodding  drudgery. 
It  is  our  great  good  fortune  to  co-work  with  Nature,  and  usually  among  her 
loveliest  scenes.  The  artist,  Mr.  Gibson,  has  suggested  the  true  character 
of  our  calling  by  combining  moonlight  in  the  Highlands  with  the 
gathering  up  of  the  crates  for  market.  I  should  feel  sorry  for  the 
man  who  saw  only  the  crates  and  thought  solely  of  the  market. 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  "  look  up  to  the  hills"  occasionally,  from 
whence  might  come  "  help  "  toward  a  truer,  larger  manhood,  and  then, 
instead  of  going  home  to  the  heavy,  indigestible  supper  too  often  spread 
for  those  who  are  weary  and  feverish  from  the  long,  hot  day,  would 
it  not  be  better  to  gather  some  sprays  of  the  fruit  portrayed,  that 
resembles  moonlight  in  beauty  and  color,  but  whose  mild  subacid  is 
just  what  the  material  man  requires  in  midsummer  sultriness  ?  The 
horticulturist  may  thrive  if  he  will,  in  body  and  soul,  for  Nature,  at 
each  season,  furnishes  just  such  supplies  as  are  best  adapted  to  his 

304 


Closing  Words. 


305 


Taking  the  Crates  to  the  Evening  Boat. 


White  Dutch  Currant. 


need.       She    will    develop    every    good    quality   he    possesses,   especially 
his  patience. 

As  we  have  passed  from  one  fruit  to  another,  I  have  expressed  my 
own  views  frankly ;  at  the  same  time,  I  think  the  reader  will  remember 
39 


306 


Success  with  Small  Fruits. 


that  I  have  taken  no  little  pains  to  give  the  opinions  of  others.  Dog- 
matism in  pomology  is  as  objectionable  as  in  theology.  I  shall  be  glad 
to  have  my  errors  pointed  out,  and  will  hasten  to  correct  them. 


As  a  part  of  this  book  appeared  as  a  serial  in  Scribner's  Magazine, 
I  was  encouraged  by  words  of  approval  from  many  of  the  best  horti- 
cultural authorities.  I  shall  not  deny  that  I  was  very  glad  to  receive 
such  favorable  opinions,  for  I  had  much  and  just  doubt  of  my  ability  to 


Closing   Words.  307 

satisfy  those  who  have  made  these  subjects  a  life-long  study,  and  to 
whom,  in  fact,  I  am  largely  indebted  for  the  little  I  do  know.  Still 
more  am  I  pleased  by  assurances  that  I  have  turned  the  thoughts  of 
many  toward  the  garden — a  place  that  is  naturally,  and,  I  think,  cor- 
rectly, associated  with  man's  primal  and  happiest  condition.  We  must 
recognize,  however,  the  sad  change  in  the  gardening  as  well  as  gardeners 
of  our  degenerate  world.  In  worm  and  insect,  blight  and  mildew,  in  heat, 
frost,  drought  and  storm,  in  weeds  so  innumerable  that  we  are  tempted 
to  believe  that  Nature  has  a  leaning  toward  total  depravity,  we  have 
much  to  contend  with ;  and  in  the  ignorant,  careless,  and  often  dis- 
honest laborer,  who  slashes  away  at  random,  we  find  our  chief  obstacle  to 
success.  In  spite  of  all  these  drawbacks,  the  work  of  the  garden  is  the 
play  and  pleasure  that  never  palls,  and  which  the  oldest  and  wisest  never 
outgrow. 

I  have  delayed  my  departure  too  long,  and,  since  I  cannot  place  a 
basket  of  President  Wilder  Strawberries  on  the  tables  of  my  readers, 
I  will  leave  with  them  the  best  possible  substitute,  the  exquisite  poem 
of  H.  H. : 


"MY    STRAWBERRY. 

"0  MARVEL,  fruit  of  fruits,  I  pause 
To  reckon  thee.     I  ask  what  cause 
Set  free  so  much  of  red  from  heats 
At  core  of  earth,  and  mixed  such  sweets 
With  sour  and  spice;   what  was  that  strength 
Which,  out  of  darkness,  length  by  length, 
Spun  all  thy  shining  threads  of  vine, 
Netting  the  fields  in  bond  as  thine; 
I  see  thy  tendrils  drink  by  sips 
From  grass  and  clover's  smiling  lips; 
I  hear  thy  roots  dig  down  for  wells, 
Tapping  the  meadow's  hidden  cells ; 
Whole  generations  of  green  things, 
Descended  from  long  lines  of  springs, 
I  see  make  room  for  thee  to  bide, 
A  quiet  comrade  by  their  side; 


308  Success  with  Small  Fruits. 

I  see  the  creeping  peoples  go 
Mysterious  journeys  to  and  fro; 
Treading  to  right  and  left  of  thee, 
Doing  thee  homage  wonderingly. 
I  see  the  wild  bees  as  they  fare 
Thy  cups  of  honey  drink,  but  spare  ; 
I  mark  thee  bathe,  and  bathe  again, 
In  sweet,  uncalendared  spring  rain. 
I  watch  how  all  May  has  of  sun, 
Makes  haste  to  have  thy  ripeness  done, 
While  all  her  nights  let  dews  escape 
To  set  and  cool  thy  perfect  shape. 
Ah,  fruit  of  fruits,  no  more  I  pause 
To  dream  and  seek  thy  hidden  laws! 
I  stretch  my  hand,  and  dare  to  taste 
In  instant  of  delicious  waste 
On  single  feast,  all  things  that  went 
To  make  the  empire  thou  has  spent." 


INDEX. 


Aphis,  234. 

Alpine  Strawberry,  35,  297,  298. 

Alpine  Strawberry,  White  and  Red,  103,  297. 

Alpine,  Green,  298. 


B. 


Baskets,  choice  in,  250. 

Baskets  cheap  enough  to  be  given  away,  251. 

Belle  de  Fontenay  Raspberry,  180. 

Blackberry,  New  Rochelle,  200. 

Blackberry,  Kittatinny,  202. 

Blackberry,  Wilson's  Early,  203. 

Blackberry,  Snyder,  203. 

Blackberries,  species  of,  199. 

Blackberries,  varieties  of,  200,  303. 

Blackberries,  foreign,  200. 

Blackberries,  wild,  200. 

Blackberries,  culture,  etc.,  205. 

Blackberries,  the  soil  suited  to,  205. 

Blackberries,  planting,  205. 

Blackberries,  pruning,  206. 

Blackberries,  winter  protection,  206. 

Blackberries,  propagation,  culture,  etc.,  205. 

Blackberries,  curl-leaf,  240. 

Blackberries,  rust,  241. 

Blackberries,  profits  on,  31. 

Bone  Meal,  80,  81. 

Book  Farming,  77. 

Borers,  241. 

Brandywine  Raspberry,  182. 

Brinkle's  Orange  Raspberry,  191. 

Bryant,  Hon.  Win.  Cullen.  Editorial  on 
strawberries,  45. 

Buckwheat.  Good  for  subduing  and  enrich- 
ing land,  58,  72. 


California  culture  of  small  fruits,  261-263. 

Callus,  218. 

Canada,  why  adapted  to  small  fruit  culture,  98. 

Capital  required,  30. 

Caroline  Raspberry,  194. 

Catalogues  of  varieties  soon  obsolete,  93,  94. 

Champion  Strawberry,  100. 

Charles  Downing  Strawberry,  103. 

Charleston,  great  strawberry  center,  121. 

Chili  Strawberries,  40,  299. 

Clarke  Raspberry,  194. 

Climate,  influence  of,  on  fruits,  16,  50. 

Clay  soil,  treatment  of,  72. 

Closing  words,  304. 

Clover  as  a  green  crop,  73,  80. 

Crates,  when  first  used,  248. 

Crescent  Seedling  Strawberry,  100. 

Curl-leaf  in  the  Blackberry,  240. 

Curl-leaf  in  the  Raspberry,  240. 

Currant  borers,  245. 

Currant,  Black  Naples,  220. 

Currant,  Lee's  Prolific,  220, 

Currant,  Red  Dutch,  220. 

Currant,  White  Dutch,  221. 

Currant,  White  Grape,  222. 

Currant,  Cherry,  223. 

Currant,  Versailles,  223. 

Currant,  Victoria,  224. 

Currant,  worm,  242. 

Currant,  saw  fly,  242. 

Currants,  best  methods  of  shipping,  253. 

Currants,  cuttings,  217. 

Currants,  species  of,  209. 

Currants,  history  of,  209. 

Currants,  best  soil  for,  210. 

Currants,  their  native  haunts,  210. 

Currants,  their  chief  requirements,  210. 


309 


Success  with  Small  Fndts. 


Currants  will  not  thrive  in  the  South,  211. 
Currants,   cultivation,  planting  and    pruning, 

211-216. 

Currants  in  tree  and  bush  form,  214. 
Currants,  mulching,  215. 
Currants,  propagation,  217. 
Currants,  black,  219. 
Currants,  profits  in  growing,  32. 
Cuthbert  Raspberry,  194,  198. 


D. 

Davidson's  Thornless  Raspberry,  188. 
Diseases  of  Small  Fruits,  232. 
Doolittle  Raspberry,  188. 
Dorchester  Blackberry,  303. 
Drainage,  uses  of,  60. 
Drainage,  where  essential,  61. 
Drains,  best  kind,  61. 
Drains,  construction  of,  61,  62. 
Drains,  open,  62. 
Drains,  tile,  61. 
Drains,  box,  65. 
Duchess  Strawberry,  113. 


E. 

Experiences  from  widely  separated  localities, 

262. 
Experience.     Nothing  can  take  its  place.     29. 


F. 

Fall  Plowing,  73. 

Feebleness  resulting  from  over-stimulation, 
234- 

Feebleness  resulting  from  starvation  and  neg- 
lect, 234. 

Fertilizers,  best  for  light  land,  74. 

Fertilizers,  best  for  heavy  land,  72. 

Fertilizers,  surface  application  of,  74. 

Fertilizers,  commercial,  75. 

Fertilizers,  experience  with  commercial,  8l. 

Fertilizers,  special,  77,  83,  133. 

Flea  beetle,  239. 

Floods,  providing  against,  69. 

Florida  entering  largely  into  strawberry  cult- 
ure, 122. 

Forcing  under  glass,  146. 

Fragaria  Vesca,  35. 

Foliage  burning  or  sun-scalding,  234. 

Fragaria  Virginiana,  39. 

Fragaria  Illinoensis,  40. 

Fragaria  Indica,  40. 

Fragaria  Chilensis,  40. 

Franconia  Raspberry,  180. 

Fruit  Farm — importance  of  location,  28,  49. 

Fruit  growing  as  a  business,  27. 


G. 

Ganargua,  194. 

Gooseberry,  Downing,  229. 

Gooseberry,  Houghton,  229. 

Gooseberry,  Smith's  Improved,  230. 

Gooseberry,  Mountain  Seedling,  230. 

Gooseberry,  Cluster,  230. 

Gooseberries,  foreign  species,  226. 

Gooseberries,  English;  their  culture  in  Eng- 
land, 227. 

Gooseberries,  mildew,  227. 

Gooseberries,  foreign  varieties,  228. 

Gooseberries,  seedlings  of  foreign  varieties,  228. 

Gooseberries,  native  species,  228. 

Gooseberries,  native  varieties,  229. 

Gooseberries,  wild,  230. 

Gooseberries,  native  species,  capable  of  great 
improvement,  231. 

Green  crops,  plowed  under,  58,  72. 

Gregg,  189. 

H. 

Hautbois  Strawberry,  38,  298, 299. 
Hellebore,  white,  243-245. 
Heredity  in  Strawberries,  151. 
Herstine,  192. 
Highland  Hardy,  185. 
Hovey's  Seedling  Strawberry,  40. 
Hudson  River  Antwerp,  179. 
Hybridizing,  150  ;  Mr.  Seth  Boyden's  method, 

154;  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand's  method,  155. 
Hybrids,  how  to  learn  their  origin,  185. 


Irrigation,  255-261. 
Irrigation  in  California,  261,  262. 
Irrigation  in  Texas,  263,  264. 
Insect  enemies  of  small  fruits,  232. 
Insecticides,  238-246. 


Jucunda  Strawberry,  42,  66. 


K. 

Kentucky  Strawberry,  103. 
Kittatinny  Blackberry,  202. 


Labor  and  laborers,  271,  272. 

Laborers,  4. 

Land,  unsubdued,  252. 

Land,  clearing,  54,  55. 

Land,  wet,  61. 

Land,  heavy,  66-72. 


Index. 


Layer  plants,  91,  119. 

Lime,  72,  80. 

Location,  influence  on  Strawberries,  48. 


M. 

Market  facilities,  49. 

Marlboro',  great  raspberry  center,  175. 

Mammoth  cluster,  189. 

Manure,  stable,  72,  80,  81. 

Marketing  small  fruits,  247. 

Marketing  small  fruits  in  the  olden  time,  247. 

Moisture,  need  of,  51,  117. 

Monarch  of  the  West  Strawberry,  42. 

Mowing  Strawberries,  118. 

Mildew,  best  preventive  of,  227. 

Mixing  of  Strawberries,  157. 

Mulching,  117,  168. 


N. 

Neunan's  Prolific  Strawberry,  102. 
New  varieties,  need  of  a  patent  on,  152. 
New  varieties,  why  often  sent  out  untested,  152. 
New  Rochelle  Raspberry,  194. 
New  Rochelle  Blackberry,  200. 
Norfolk,  great  strawberry  center,  121. 


P. 

Packages,  the  best  for  small  fruits,  250. 
Picking  small  fruits,  247. 
Pistillate  flower,  93. 
Pistillate  varieties,  156. 

Plants,  number  per  acre.     Rule  for  ascertain- 
ing, 275. 

Plants,  obtaining,  84. 
Plants,  mixed,  85. 
Plants,  digging,  86. 
Plants,  packing,  86. 
Plants,  mailing,  86. 
Plants,  pot-grown,  89. 
Plants,  layer,  91. 
Plants,  purity  of  £tock,  85. 
Plants,  firming  ground  about,  106. 
Plants,  watering,  107. 
Plants,  shading,  107. 
Poisons,  caution  in  the  use  of,  246. 
Pollen,  93. 
Potash,  81. 

Pot-grown  plants,  89,  108. 
Pot-grown  plants,  cost  of,  90. 
Pot-grown  plants,  how  grown,  89. 
President  Wilder  Strawberry,  42,  103. 
Pride  of  the  Hudson  Raspberry,  162. 
Profit  en  small  fruits,  16,  26,  30-32. 
Pruning-shears,  208. 


R. 


Raspberry,  Doolittle  or  American  Improved, 
1 88. 

Raspberry,  Mammoth  Cluster  or  McCormick, 
189. 

Raspberry,  Gregg,  189. 

Raspberry,  Catawissa,  190. 

Raspberry,  Philadelphia,  190. 

Raspberry,  Pride  of  the  Hudson,  162,  192. 

Raspberry  suckers,  160,  165. 

Raspberry,  Red  Antwerp  of  England,  1 73. 

Raspberry,  Hudson  River  Antwerp,  179. 

Raspberry,  Franconia,  180. 

Raspberry,  Belle  de  Fontenay,  180. 

Raspberry,  Brandy  wine,  182. 

Raspberry,  Turner,  182. 

Raspberry,  Davidson's  Thornless,  188. 

Raspberry,  Highland  Hardy,  185. 

Raspberry  rust,  241. 

Raspberry,  Brinkle's  Orange,  191. 

Raspberry,  Herstine,  192. 

Raspberry,  Saunders,  193. 

Raspberry,  Clarke,  194. 

Raspberry,  New  Rochelle,  194. 

Raspberry,  Caroline,  194. 

Raspberry,  Ganargua,  194. 

Raspberry,  Reliance,  194. 

Raspberry,  Cuthbert,  194-198. 

Raspberries,  species  of,  158. 

Raspberries,  history  of,  158. 

Raspberries,  varieties  of,  173,  198,  300-303. 

Raspberries,  propagation  of,  160. 

Raspberries,  originating  new  varieties,  162. 

Raspberries,  new  seedlings  very  uncertain  in 

their  future,  162. 

Raspberries,  choice  of  land  for,  163. 
Raspberries,  preparing  ground  for,  164. 
Raspberries,  planting,  164. 
Raspberries,  when  to  plant,  164. 
Raspberries,    winter     protection     for     newly 

planted,  165. 

Raspberries,  cultivation  of,  165. 
Raspberries,  autumn  top-dressing,  165. 
Raspberries,  pruning,  summer  and  fall,  167. 
Raspberries,  summer  pinching,  168. 
Raspberries,   cutting  back  makes  large  fruit, 

1 08. 

Raspberries,  mulching,  168. 
Raspberries,  staking,  169. 
Raspberries,  winter  protection,  170. 
Raspberries,  tying,  169. 
Raspberries,  taking  up  plants,  172. 
Raspberries,  storing  plants,  172. 
Raspberries,  foreign  and  native  species,  173. 
Raspberries,  black-cap,  their  propagation  and 

cultivation,  186-188. 
Raspberries,  black-cap,  planting,  188. 


312 


Sztccess  with  Small  Fruits. 


Raspberries,  black-cap  tips,  layering,  186. 
Raspberries,  Purple  Cane  family,  190. 
Raspberries  of  the  future,  191. 
Raspberries,  root  cuttings,  161. 
Raspberries,  root  cuttings,  forcing  under  glass, 

161. 
Raspberries,  culture  in  Marlboro',  origin  of, 

'75- 

Raspberries,  traffic  on  the  Hudson,  177. 
Raspberries,  hybrids,  how  to  learn  their  origin, 

185- 
Raspberries,  Rubus  Strigosus  species,  its  chief 

value,  185. 
Raspberries,    Rubus    Occidentalis,    black-cap 

and  purple  cane  class,  186. 
Raspberries,  curl-leaf  in,  240. 
Raspberries,  borers  and  gall  insects,  241. 
Raspberries,  perfectly  hardy,  196. 
Raspberries,  foliage  of,  196. 
Raspberries,    hardiness     usually     settled     in 

August,  196. 

Raspberries,  best  packages  for,  253. 
Raspberries,  profits  on,  31. 
Remedies  for  diseases  and  insect  enemies  of 

small  fruits,  230-246. 
Root  cuttings,  161. 
Roots,  grubbing  out,  55. 
Roots,  handling,  86. 

Roots,  keep  from  frost,  wind  and  heat,  86. 
Roots,  shortening  strawberry,  107. 
Roots,  treatment  when  black  and  moldy,  107. 
Rules  and  maxims,  271—276. 
Runners,  improvement  caused  by  cutting,  114. 

132. 

Rust,  241. 

Rubus  Strigosus,  185. 
Rubus  Occidentalis,  186,  302. 

S. 

Sandy  soil,  treatment  of,  74. 

Saunders  Raspberry,  193. 

Saw  fly,  238. 

Seedlings,  proper  treatment  of  them,  156. 

Seedlings,  but  few  worthy  of  preservation,  155. 

Seth  Boyden  Strawberry,  102. 

Sharpless  Strawberry,  97. 

Small  Fruits,  neglect  of,  18. 

Small  Fruits,  profits  on,  30-32,  102. 

Small  Fruits,  diseases  and  insect  enemies  of, 

232. 

Small  Fruits,  picking  and  marketing,  247. 
Small  Fruits  in  New  Jersey,  266-268. 
Small  Fruits  in  the  far  North,  268-270. 
Small  Fruits,  the  present  enormous  traffic  in, 

249. 

Small  Fruits  in  California,  261-263. 
Small  Fruits  in  the  South,  263-266. 
Small  Fruits,  culture  simple,  21. 


Small  Fruits,  their  value  as  food,  21. 

Small  Fruits,  their  value  as  gifts,  22. 

Small  Fruits,  their  value  in  charity,  22. 

Small  Fruits,  their  moral  value  and  power,  23. 

Small  Fruits,  their  value  in  our  home  life,  24. 

Small  Fruits,  sources  of  varied  pleasure  and 
interest,  25. 

Small  Fruit  farming,  its  early  beginnings,  26. 

Small  Fruit  farming,  its  present  large  propor- 
tions, 27. 

Small  Fruit  farming,  its  requirements  as  a  call- 
ing, 28. 

Small  Fruit  farming,  capital  needed,  30. 

Snow,  best  winter  protection,  99. 

Snyder  Blackberry,  203. 

Sod  land,  57. 

Soil,  influence  of  on  strawberries,  48. 

Soil,  the  best  for  strawberries,  48. 

Soils,  advantages  of  a  variety,  49. 

Soils,  preparing  and  enriching,  51. 

Soils,  preparation  by  drainage,  60. 

Soils,  wet,  61. 

Soils,  unfavorable,  71. 

Soils,  clay,  treatment  of,  72. 

Soils,  sandy,  treatment  of,  74. 

Soils,  gravelly,  treatment  of,  75. 

Soils,  peat,  treatment  of,  75. 

Soils,  when  fit  for  planting,  107. 

Southern  small  fruit  culture,  263,  266. 

Southern  strawberry  culture,  121. 

Staminate  varieties,  93. 

Steamer  loading  and  unloading,  145. 

Storm,  November,  69. 

Stock,  the  best  is  the  cheapest,  84,  85. 

Stock,  quality  of,  85. 

Stock,  improving,  86. 

Stream,  mountain,  68. 

Strawberry,  origin  of  name,  34. 

Strawberry,  seeds  and  pulp,  34. 

Strawberry,  Alpine,  35. 

Strawberries,  white  and  red,  103. 

Strawberries  of  the  ancients,  35. 

Strawberry,  history  of  the,  35-43. 

Strawberry,  Wood,  36. 

Strawberry,  Hautbois,  38,  298. 

Strawberry,  first  named  variety,  39. 

Strawberry,  Virginian  (F.  Virginiana),  39. 

Strawberry,  Indian  (F.  Indica),  40. 

Strawberry,  Chili  (F.  Chilensis),  40,  299. 

Strawberry,  President  Wilder,  42,  103. 

Strawberry,  Wilson's  Albany,  40,  45,  98. 

Strawberry,  Hovey's  Seedling,  40. 

Strawberry,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  42. 

Strawberry,  Jucunda,  42,  66. 

Strawberry,  Monarch  of  the  West,  42,  103. 

Strawberry  of  memory,  47. 

Strawberry  blossoms,  fertilizing  of,  93. 

Strawberry  blossoms,  varieties  of,  93. 


Index. 


313 


Strawberry,  Sharpless  Seedling,  97. 

Strawberry,  Crescent  Seedling,  100. 

Strawberry,  Champion,  100. 

Strawberry,  Windsor  Chief,  101. 

Strawberry,  Neunan's  Prolific,  102. 

Strawberry,  Seth  Boyden,  IO2. 

Strawberry,  Charles  Downing,  103. 

Strawberry,  Kentucky  Seedling,  103. 

Strawberry,  the  most  beautiful  and  delicious, 
104. 

Strawberry,  Duchess,  113. 

Strawberry,  its  culture  in  the  South,  121. 

Strawberry  farm,  largest  in  the  world,  descrip- 
tion of,  122-145. 

Strawberry,  qualities  essential  to  a  first  class, 

I5i- 

Strawberry  worm,  238. 

Strawberry  plants,  setting  out,  105,  106. 

Strawberry  plants,  number  set  per  day,  106. 

Strawberry  plants,  proper  distance  between,io8. 

Strawberry  plants,  growing  for  market,  119. 

Strawberries,  first  real  improvement  in,  40. 

Strawberries,  the  favorite  species  abroad,  42. 

Strawberries,  cut  the  blossoms  from  spring  set 
plants,  114. 

Strawberries,  of  commerce,  44-46. 

Strawberries,  of  the  garden,  44. 

Strawberries,  chief  need  of,  51. 

Strawberries,  plant  and  fruit,  analysis  of,  79. 

Strawberries,  blossom,  construction  of,  93. 

Strawberries,  showy,  for  market,  102. 

Strawberries,  the  five  great  species  of,  34-43. 

Strawberries  vary  with  soil  and  location,  48. 

Strawberries,  best  fertilizers  for,  79,  83. 

Strawberries,  when  to  plant,  89. 

Strawberries,  summer  and  autumn  planting,  89. 

Strawberries,  planting  late  in  fall,  91. 

Strawberries,  winter  protection,  91. 

Strawberries,  varieties,  93-104. 

Strawberries,  new  varieties,  how  produced,  94. 

Strawberries,  new  varieties  ;  why  second  rate 
varieties  are  sent  out,  94. 

Strawberries,  trial  beds  of,  94. 

Strawberries,  trial  beds,  value  of,  96. 

Strawberries,  standard,  96. 

Strawberries,  varieties  that  are  adapted  to  dif- 
ferent soils  and  localities,  97. 

Strawberries,  market  varieties,  98.   • 

Strawberries,  extraordinary  yield,  102. 

Strawberries,  the  right  and  wrong  methods  of 
planting,  105. 

Strawberries,  cultivation,  109. 

Strawberries,  matted  bed  system  of  culture,  109. 

Strawberries,  renewal  system,  no. 

Strawberries,  hill  system,  in. 

Strawberries,  narrow  row  system,  112-133. 

Strawberries,  picking,  139;  proper  methods 
of,  252. 

40 


Strawberries,  forcing  under  glass,  146. 

Strawberries,  when  first  grown  under  glass,  149. 

Strawberries,  originating  new  varieties,  150. 

Strawberries,  mixing,  157. 

Strawberries,  how  first  sold  in  New  York,  247. 

Strawberries,  repay  high  culture,  102. 

Strawberries,  winter  protection,  115. 

Strawberries,  spring  cultivation,  116,  132. 

Strawberries,  mulching,  117. 

Strawberries,  prize,  how  raised,  118. 

Strawberries,  insufficient  watering  is  injurious, 
118. 

Strawberries,  mowing,  118. 

Strawberries,  foliage  burning,  118. 

Strawberries,  house  for  forcing,  149. 

Strawberries,  seedlings,  156. 

Strawberries,  pistillate  varieties,  156. 

Strawberries,  all  but  the  best  should  be  dis- 
carded, 299. 

Strawberries,  affected  by  soil  and  climate,  16. 

Strawberries,  culture  in  California,  261,  263. 

Stumps,  extracting,  55. 

Success,  one  of  the  chief  conditions  of,  78. 

Suckers,  160,  165. 


T. 

Thirds,  Marlboro',  231. 

Tickets,  139. 

Tobacco  as  an  insecticide,  244. 

Tools  of  a  small  fruit  farm,  32. 

Top-dressing,  and  when  to  apply,  115,  165. 

Trenching,  53. 

Trial-beds,  94. 

Triomphe  de  Gand  Strawberry,  42. 

Triple  Crown,  296. 

Turner  Raspberry,  182. 


V. 

Varieties,  originating  new,  150-156. 
Vigilance,  need  of  constant,  85. 


W. 

Watering  strawberry  plants,  107. 

Weeds,  best  way  of  fighting,  166. 

Weeding,  best  tool  for,  112. 

White  Grub,  58,  113,  235-238. 

Wood  ashes,  80. 

Wood  Strawberry,  36,  297. 

Wild  Strawberry,  47. 

Wilson's  Albany  Strawberry,  40, 45,  98. 

Wilson's  Early  Blackberry,  203. 

Windsor  Chief  Strawberry,  101. 

Winter  protection,  115. 


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